White Noise Functional Approach to the Ring of

Coupled Harmonic Oscillators

James M. Gallo∗ and Bienvenido M. Butanas Jr.
Theoretical Physics Group, Department of Physics, Central Mindanao University
Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon, 8710 Philippines

Abstract
The harmonic oscillator chain with rotational symmetry was studied using white noise analysis. The quantum propagators of the system were obtained
after solving for the normal modes to decouple the coordinates of the Lagrangian describing the nearest-neighbor interactions of the harmonic oscillators.
Investigating its dynamics, it was observed that the motion of the entire system was dependent on the number classification (e.g. odd, even) of oscillators
present. For an odd number of oscillators, the propagator consisted of N − 1 degenerate and one non-degenerate normal mode frequencies. For even
numbers of oscillators, the propagator consisted of N − 2 degenerate and 2 non-degenerate normal mode frequencies. Finally, the dynamics of the
harmonic oscillator chain corresponds to the product of degenerate and non-degenerate normal mode frequencies.

Introduction The Ring of Coupled Harmonic Oscillators

In solid state theory, the dynamics of the Using the characteristic equation, the following matrix is obtained:
harmonic oscillator chain is considered to
−κ −κ
 
1 2κ ...
describe lattice vibrations in solids. One
 −κ 2κ ... 0 
interesting type of this system is when both  
0=
 0 −κ ... 0 .

ends are connected together attaining periodic  .. .. .. .. 
symmetry, that is, avoiding any “edge” effects to  . . . . 
the motion of the entire body (see figure below). −κ 0 ... 2κ

The calculation of the eigenvalues from the matrix where N ≥ 3 is categorized as follows. First,
we find that for odd values of N , there correspond N − 1 by pairs of degenerate eigenvalues and
0 non-degenerate eigenvalue. For even values of N , there correspond N − 2 degenerate by pairs of
eigenvalues and with 4κ and 0 as the nondegenerate eigenvalues.
TABLE 1. List of eigenvalues corresponding to the normal modes from N = 3 to N = 10.
N Eigenvalues
3 0, 3κ, 3κ
Arbitrary number of coupled oscillatory system plus the 4 0, 4κ,√2κ, 2κ √ √ √
periodic boundary condition 5 0, 5−2 5 κ, 5−2 5 κ, 5+2 5 κ, 5+2 5 κ
6 0, 4κ, 3κ, 3κ, κ, κ
From this, the system which is considered as 7 0, 3.80194κ,
√ 3.80194κ,
√ 2.44504κ,
√ 2.44504κ,√ 0.75302κ, 0.75302κ
large number of interacting atoms in a quadratic 8 0, 4κ, 2 + 2κ, 2 + 2κ, 2 − 2κ, 2 − 2κ, 2κ, 2κ
harmonic potential is provided with an 9 0, 3.8793κ,
√
3.8793κ,
√
3κ, 3κ,
√
1.6527κ,
√
1.6527κ,
√
0.46791κ,
√
0.46791κ
√ √
identical environment. This model can be 10 0, 4κ, 5+2 5 κ, 5+2 5 κ, 5−2 5 κ, 5−2 5 κ, 3+2 5 κ, 3+2 5 κ, 3−2 5 κ, 3−2 5 κ
used to explain the phonon frequencies in
• Evaluation of the Path integral via White Noise Analysis for N = 3 Case:
a monatomic lattice chain restricted by the
Born-von Karman boundary condition1,2 when From Table 1, we obtain the eigenvectors corresponding to the normal modes for N = 3 given by
     
N goes to infinity. −1 −1 1
Various methods in investigating its ξ~ =  0  ,  1  ,  1  . (1)
1 0 1
dynamics can be found in the literature,
but here, a new way of analyzing this is applied ~ the first column have x1 = −x3 and x2 = 0 while x1 = −x2 and x3 = 0
From the degeneracy in ξ,
in the perspective of quantum mechanics. In for the second column, and the third column has x1 = x2 = x3 which describe the case where all
this work, we study the system using Feynman’s elements of the system are oscillating with the same amplitude. This yield the following Lagrangians
approach to quantization,3 the path integral, generated using Hamilton’s canonical transformations:
with its Hamiltonian,2 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
L1 = m1 ẋ1 − m1 ω x1 , L2 = m2 ẋ2 − m2 ω x2 , L3 = m3 ẋ3 − m3 ω0 x3 , (2)
N N −1 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
X p~i κ X κ
H= + (~xi+1 −~xi ) + (~x1 −~xN )2 ,
2 q
3κ
2m 2 2 where ω1 = ω3 = ω = m, m1 = m2 = 2m and m3 = 3m. These forms are similar to that of a
i=1 i=1
one-dimensional harmonic oscillator giving the form of the propagators,4
where p~i and ~xi are the corresponding momenta r
and the displacement of the ith oscillator. 2mω
h i h 2imω i 3mω0 h 3imω i
2 2
0 2
Kx1 ,x2 = exp x1 + x2 cot ωt , Kx3 = exp x3 cot ω0 t , (3)
Feynman’s method of evaluating quantum 2πi~t sin ωt 2~ 2πi~t sin ω0 t 2~
mechanical problems is casted into the context
of white noise calculus providing a more solid The total propagator of the system is just the product of its degenerate and non-degenerate
mathematical rigor and ease of use. components, that is, K(x1 , x2 , x3 ; x1o = 0, x2o = 0, x3o = 0; t, 0) = KF or
3  1
√
     
m 2 ω ω0 2 2imω 2 2 3imω0 2
Propagator as a White Noise Functional KF = 2 3 exp (x1 + x2 ) cot ωt exp x3 cot ω0 t . (4)
2πi~t sin ωt sin ω0 t 2~ 2~
Start with Feynman propagator:
Z   This evaluation holds for all values of odd and even cases of N ≥ 3 and noting that each propagators
i of increasing values of N are different since the degeneracies in the eigenvalues are unique.
K(x1 , x0 , τ ) = exp S D[x].
~
Parametrize paths:
r Z Conclusion
~
x(t) = x0 + ω(τ )dτ, It was found from this study that the propagator of the system has no explicit or closed form, that is, one must specify
m
the corresponding values of N and evaluate the corresponding quantum propagator manually.
and obtain the correspondence between the Lebesgue
measure and Gaussian measure:
∞
N d x → N d ω. ∞ References
1 Kittel, C. and Fong, C.Y. Quantum theory of solids. New York, NY: Wiley. (2010)
The endpoint is fixed through the Donsker-delta
function: 2 Hong-Yi, F., Zhihua, X. and Yue, F. Unitary Operator and Density Matrix for a Ring of Coupled Oscillator


δ x(t) − x1 . Model. Comm. Theo. Phys.: 30; 423-428. (1998)
Propagator in the language of white noise analysis: 3 Feynman, R.P. Space-time approach to non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Rev. Mod. Phys., 20(2). (1948).
4
Z
Streit, L. and Hida, T. Generalized Brownian functionals and the Feynman integral. Stoch. Proc. Apps., 16(1),
K= Idµ (ω).
55-69. (1984)