On the landscape of scale invariance in quantum mechanics

Abstract

We consider the most general scale invariant radial Hamiltonian allowing for anisotropic scaling between space and time. We formulate a renormalisation group analysis of this system and demonstrate the existence of a quantum phase transition from a continuous scale invariant phase to a discrete scale invariant phase. Close to the critical point, the discrete scale invariant phase is characterised by an isolated, closed, attracting trajectory in renomalisation group space (a limit cycle). Moving in appropriate directions in the parameter space of couplings this picture is altered to one controlled by a quasi periodic attracting trajectory (a limit torus) or fixed points. We identify a direct relation between the critical point, the renormalisation group picture and the power laws characterising the zero energy wave functions.