The Favored Classical Variables to Promote to Quantum Operators

Abstract

Classical phase-space variables are normally chosen to promote to quantum operators in order to quantize a given classical system. While classical variables can exploit coordinate transformations to address the same problem, only one set of quantum operators to address the same problem can give the correct analysis. Such a choice leads to the need to find the favored classical variables in order to achieve a valid quantization. This article addresses the task of how such favored variables are found that can be used to properly solve a given quantum system. Examples, such as non-renormalizable scalar fields and gravity, have profited by initially changing which classical variables to promote to quantum operators.