Wigner function for discrete phase space: exorcising ghost images

Abstract

We construct, using simple geometrical arguments, a Wigner function defined on a discrete phase space of arbitrary integer Hilbert-space dimension that is free of redundancies. ``Ghost images'' plaguing other Wigner functions for discrete phase spaces are thus revealed as artifacts. It allows to devise a corresponding phase-space propagator in an unambiguous manner. We apply our definitions to eigenstates and propagator of the quantum baker map. Scars on unstable periodic points of the corresponding classical map become visible with unprecedented resolution.