Discover the Exp Operator Expansion Identity for Form-Based Operators

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Does anyone of an exp operator expansion identity that for operators of the form:

<br /> \exp \left ( \hat{A} \hat{B} \right )<br /> [\tex]<br /> <br /> For example, I know of the BHC decomposition:<br /> <br /> &lt;br /&gt; e^{\hat{A} + \hat{B}} = e^{-\frac{ [ \hat{A}, \hat{B} ]}{2}} e^{\hat{A}} e^{\hat{B}}&lt;br /&gt; [\tex]&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; I&amp;#039;ve heard that there exists such an expansion for the first case but i can&amp;#039;t find it anywhere. I&amp;#039;d be grateful if anyone could supply me a reference or at least point me to it.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cheers.
 
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If they commute, then yes, each term in the series is just A^n B^n. Otherwise you have to just calculate a LOT of commutators and hope something nice works out. What specific problem were you trying to tackle?
 
I am trying to decompose the Cross Kerr unitray transformation i.e. the unitary operator:

\exp \left ( i \varphi \hat{n}_{1} \hat{n}_{2} \right )

Where the operators in question are photon number operators in two different radiation modes.

I understand that there exists a decomposition (besides the taylor series expansion) of this operator using the Hubbard-Stratonovich decomposition. However, this decomposition requires that the creation and annihilation operators are fermomic. I, however, need a corresponding decomposition for bosonic operators.

Any suggestions?
 
The formula for exponential operator expansions of this sort is called the Baker-Campbell-Haussdorf formula which holds regradless if the operators are bosonic or fermionic and is a result of the mentioned taylor series expansion.
 
Epicurus said:
The formula for exponential operator expansions of this sort is called the Baker-Campbell-Haussdorf formula which holds regradless if the operators are bosonic or fermionic and is a result of the mentioned taylor series expansion.


Too quick off the mark, Epicurus. The OP already knew that:

MaverickMenzies said:
For example, I know of the BHC decomposition:

and knew that BCH didn't handle the case he was asking about.
 
Could you use the operator product expansion, and then the BCH formula?
 
Could you use the operator product expansion, and then the BCH formula?

I don't see how. The BHC formula states that:

e^{\hat{A} + \hat{B}} = e^{- [ \hat{A}, \hat{B} ]/2} e^{\hat{A}} e^{\hat{B}}

when [\hat{A},[\hat{A},\hat{B}]] = [\hat{B},[\hat{A},\hat{B}]]

i.e. it refers to the sum of operators in an expotential. I want to decompose a product of (commuting operators).
 
Yes, BCH, or CBH or whatever you want to call it, states that

exp(A +B) = exp(A)exp(B)exp([A,B]/2),

and this hold only when [A,[A,B]] = [B,[A,B]] = 0.

There's nothing in this theorem that precludes fermion operators.
(See Mandel and Wolf, Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics, p 319-320 for a detailed discussion.)

Regards,
Reilly Atkinson
 
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