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Quantum Physics with Non-Hermitian Operators

International Seminar and Workshop: June 15 - 25, 2011


Scientific Coordinators:
Andreas Fring (City University London, UK)
Ingrid Rotter (MPI für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden, Germany)
Günter Wunner (Universität Stuttgart, Germany)

Scientific Advisory Board:
Carl Bender (Washington University, St. Louis, USA)
Miloslav Znojil (Nuclear Physics Institute, Rez near Prague, Czech Republic)

Organization:
Sofja Roscina (MPI für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden, Germany)

The purpose of the seminar and workshop on Quantum Physics with Non-Hermitian Operators is to bring together experienced as well as young scientists who are interested in working actively on various aspects of quantum physics in which non-Hermitian operators and their non-trivial mathematical properties play an important role. In recent theoretical studies, two main directions are considered: (i) non-Hermitian PT symmetric Hamiltonian systems with real eigenvalues, and (ii) open quantum systems in which the feedback between system and environment is described by a non-Hermitian Hamilton operator.

Between the two areas there is strong cross fertilization, as certain techniques from the more traditional area (ii) can be taken over into (i) and, vice versa, results from area (i) shed new light on (ii). In any case, concrete experimental studies are vital to approve or disprove theoretical predictions.
The results will provide the basis for further studies and point out new directions.


Seminar (June, 15 - 18): with talks related, above all, to experimental studies, with much time for discussions. The main focus is on the question Why do we need non-Hermitian Hamiltonians?. To this aim, existing physical results that cannot be explained in the framework of standard Hermitian quantum physics, as well as systematic experiments for a study of the non-Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian and its relevance for applications will be discussed in detail.

Workshop (June, 20 - 25): with the aim to represent new theoretical results obtained from an exact mathematical description of
(i) quantum mechanical model systems with a non-Hermitian operator and (ii) realistic open quantum systems with explicit consideration of the non-Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. The time for the talks is scheduled to be 35 minutes plus 10 minutes discussion.

Poster sessions will be an important part of both the seminar and the workshop. A special issue devoted to the topic of the conference will be published in a scientific journal. Preference will be given to participants of the seminar and workshop, but all experts in the field are invited to submit original contributions.

Topics include:

first week

  • Optical transparency in complex potentials, phase lapses in the transmission through quantum dots, violation of Fermi's golden rule, environmentally induced effects in quantum systems, Petermann factor, superradiance and dynamical phase transitions

second week

  • Theories described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians being PT-symmetric and/or pseudo-Hermitian or quasi-Hermitian: including spectral problems, construction of Dyson and metric operators, scattering theory, supersymmetric theories, Lie algebraic and Krein space methods, aspects of integrability and exact solvability, random matrix models, classical and semi-classical models and field theories with indefinite metric

  • Exceptional points in model and realistic quantum systems, including Bose-Einstein condensates

  • Open quantum systems, overlapping resonances, dynamical and superradiance phase transitions (including Bose-Einstein condensates), resonance trapping, spectral singularities, bound states in the continuum


The seminar and workshop on Quantum Physics with Non-Hermitian Operators is the jubilee meeting of a series of conferences devoted to Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (PHHQP, Nr. X). The web site containing the information of all previous workshops is: http://gemma.ujf.cas.cz/~znojil/conf/index.html


Applications are welcome and should be made by using the application form on the workshop web page. The number of attendees is limited.
The registration fee for the international workshop is 120 Euro and should be paid by all participants. Costs for accommodation and meals will be covered by the Max Planck Institute. Limited funding is available to partially cover travel expenses. Please note that childcare is available upon request.

Deadline for applications is March 15, 2011.



For further information please e-mail to: phhqpx11pks.mpg.de