An approach to nonstandard quantum mechanics

Abstract

We use nonstandard analysis to formulate quantum mechanics in hyperfinite-dimensional spaces. Self-adjoint operators on hyperfinite-dimensional spaces have complete eigensets, and bound states and continuum states of a Hamiltonian can thus be treated on an equal footing. We show that the formalism extends the standard formulation of quantum mechanics. To this end we develop the Loeb-function calculus in nonstandard hulls. The idea is to perform calculations in a hyperfinite-dimensional space, but to interpret expectation values in the corresponding nonstandard hull. We further apply the framework to non-relativistic quantum scattering theory. For time-dependent scattering theory, we identify the starting time and the finishing time of a scattering experiment, and we obtain a natural separation of time scales on which the preparation process, the interaction process, and the detection process take place. For time-independent scattering theory, we derive rigorously explicit formulas for the M{\o}ller wave operators and the S-Matrix.