Quantum fields on closed timelike curves

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.84.062316· OSTI ID:22095576

Pienaar, J. L.; Myers, C. R.; Ralph, T. C. ^[1]

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1. School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Queensland (Australia)

Recently, there has been much interest in the evolution of quantum particles on closed timelike curves (CTCs). However, such models typically assume pointlike particles with only two degrees of freedom; a very questionable assumption given the relativistic setting of the problem. We show that it is possible to generalize the Deutsch model of CTCs to fields using the equivalent circuit formalism. We give examples for coherent, squeezed, and single-photon states interacting with the CTC via a beamsplitter. The model is then generalized further to account for the smooth transition to normal quantum mechanics as the CTC becomes much smaller than the size of the modes interacting on it. In this limit, we find that the system behaves like a standard quantum-mechanical feedback loop.

• OSTI ID: 22095576
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 84; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAM SPLITTING
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
DIAGRAMS
EQUIVALENT CIRCUITS
PHOTONS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
QUANTUM STATES
RELATIVISTIC RANGE