Real Spectra in Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians Having PT Symmetry

Carl M. Bender and Stefan Boettcher
Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 5243 – Published 15 June 1998
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Abstract

The condition of self-adjointness ensures that the eigenvalues of a Hamiltonian are real and bounded below. Replacing this condition by the weaker condition of PT symmetry, one obtains new infinite classes of complex Hamiltonians whose spectra are also real and positive. These PT symmetric theories may be viewed as analytic continuations of conventional theories from real to complex phase space. This paper describes the unusual classical and quantum properties of these theories.

  • Received 1 December 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.5243

©1998 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Carl M. Bender1 and Stefan Boettcher2,3

  • 1Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
  • 2Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
  • 3CTSPS, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia 30314

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Issue

Vol. 80, Iss. 24 — 15 June 1998

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