Wigner Functions for Arbitrary Quantum Systems

2016/01/31 by Todd Tilma, Mark J. Everitt, M. J. Everitt +4 · 3 citations
Computer Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Computer science #Dimension (graph theory) #Function (biology) #Homogeneous space #Key (lock) #Mathematics #Physical system #Physics #Pure mathematics #Quantum #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum mechanics #Quantum system #Spins #Statistical physics #Wigner distribution function #math-ph #math.MP #quant-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.117.180401

published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 180401 (2016) · 5 pages, 3 figures

openalex publication_date 2016/10/24 · arxiv created 2016/10/26 · arxiv updated 2016/10/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The possibility of constructing a complete, continuous Wigner function for any quantum system has been a subject of investigation for over 50 years. A key system that has served to illustrate the difficulties of this problem has been an ensemble of spins. Here we present a general and consistent framework for constructing Wigner functions exploiting the underlying symmetries in the physical system at hand. The Wigner function can be used to fully describe any quantum system of arbitrary dimension or ensemble size.

Citations

• Generalized phase space method in spin systems-spin coherent state representation
• Distribution functions in physics: Fundamentals
• Discrete Wigner function and quantum-state tomography
• Observation of Bose-Einstein Condensation in a Dilute Atomic Vapor
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• Precision measurement of spin-dependent interaction strengths for spin-1 and spin-287Rb atoms
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• On the Quantum Correction For Thermodynamic Equilibrium

Cited by

• Master equations for Wigner functions with spontaneous collapse and their relation to thermodynamic irreversibility
• Simple procedure for phase-space measurement and entanglement validation
• Quantum phase space with a basis of Wannier functions