Construction of quantum wavefunctions for non-separable but integrable two-dimensional Hamiltonian systems by means of the boundary values on the classical caustics

Abstract

It is shown that it is possible to construct the quantum wave functions for non-separable but integrable two-dimensional Hamiltonian systems, by solving suitable Dirichlet boundary values problems inside and outside the regions spanned by particular families of classical trajectories, in one-to-one correspondence with the quantum state. The method is applied both to the Schrodinger equation, and to the quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The boundary values are obtained by integrating the one-dim equations on the caustics arcs enveloping the classical trajectories. This approach gives the same results as the usual methods, and furthermore clarifies the links between quantum and classical mechanics.