Integrability and action operators in quantum Hamiltonian systems

Abstract

For a (classically) integrable quantum mechanical system with two degrees of freedom, the functional dependence $\hat{H}=H_Q(\hat{J}_1,\hat{J}_2)$ of the Hamiltonian operator on the action operators is analyzed and compared with the corresponding functional relationship $H(p_1,q_1;p_2,q_2) = H_C(J_1,J_2)$ in the classical limit of that system. The former is shown to converge toward the latter in some asymptotic regime associated with the classical limit, but the convergence is, in general, non-uniform. The existence of the function $\hat{H}=H_Q(\hat{J}_1,\hat{J}_2)$ in the integrable regime of a parametric quantum system explains empirical results for the dimensionality of manifolds in parameter space on which at least two levels are degenerate. The comparative analysis is carried out for an integrable one-parameter two-spin model. Additional results presented for the (integrable) circular billiard model illuminate the same conclusions from a different angle.