A history of Feynmans sum over histories is presented in brief. A focus is placed on the progress of path-integration techniques for exactly path-integrable problems in quantum mechanics.
Quantum walks constitute important tools in different applications, especially in quantum algorithms. To a great extent their usefulness is due to unusual diffusive features, allowing much faster spreading than their classical counterparts. Such behavior, although frequently credited to intrinsic quantum interference, usually is not completely characterized. Using a recently developed Greens function approach [Phys. Rev. A {bf 84}, 042343 (2011)], here it is described -- in a rather general way -- the problem dynamics in terms of a true sum over paths history a la Feynman. It allows one to explicit identify interference effects and also to explain the emergence of superdiffusivity. The present analysis has the potential to help in designing quantum walks with distinct transport properties.
The Newton--Hooke duality and its generalization to arbitrary power laws in classical, semiclassical and quantum mechanics are discussed. We pursue a view that the power-law duality is a symmetry of the action under a set of duality operations. The power dual symmetry is defined by invariance and reciprocity of the action in the form of Hamiltons characteristic function. We find that the power-law duality is basically a classical notion and breaks down at the level of angular quantization. We propose an ad hoc procedure to preserve the dual symmetry in quantum mechanics. The energy-coupling exchange maps required as part of the duality operations that take one system to another lead to an energy formula that relates the new energy to the old energy. The transformation property of {the} Green function satisfying the radial Schrodinger equation yields a formula that relates the new Green function to the old one. The energy spectrum of the linear motion in a fractional power potential is semiclassically evaluated. We find a way to show the Coulomb--Hooke duality in the supersymmetric semiclassical action. We also study the confinement potential problem with the help of the dual structure of a two-term power potential.
After recalling different formulations of the definition of supersymmetric quantum mechanics given in the literature, we discuss the relationships between them in order to provide an answer to the question raised in the title.
An example shows that weak decoherence is more restrictive than the minimal logical decoherence structure that allows probabilities to be used consistently for quantum histories. The probabilities in the sum rules that define minimal decoherence are all calculated by using a projection operator to describe each possibility for the state at each time. Weak decoherence requires more sum rules. They bring in additional variables, that require different measurements and a different way to calculate probabilities, and raise questions of operational meaning. The example shows that extending the linearly positive probability formula from weak to minimal decoherence gives probabilities that are different from those calculated in the usual way using the Born and von Neumann rules and a projection operator at each time.
A historically important but little known debate regarding the necessity and meaning of macroscopic superpositions, in particular those containing different gravitational fields, is discussed from a modern perspective.