PT-symmetric quantum state discrimination.

The objective of this paper is to explain and elucidate the formalism of PT quantum mechanics by applying it to a well-known problem in conventional Hermitian quantum mechanics, namely the problem of state discrimination. Suppose that a system is known to be in one of two quantum states, |ψ(1)> or |ψ(2)>. If these states are not orthogonal, then the requirement of unitarity forbids the possibility of discriminating between these two states with one measurement; that is, determining with one measurement what state the system is in.

Hermitian Hamiltonian equivalent to a given non-Hermitian one: manifestation of spectral singularity.

One of the simplest non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, first proposed by Schwartz in 1960, that may possess a spectral singularity is analysed from the point of view of the non-Hermitian generalization of quantum mechanics. It is shown that the η operator, being a second-order differential operator, has supersymmetric structure. Asymptotic behaviour of the eigenfunctions of a Hermitian Hamiltonian equivalent to the given non-Hermitian one is found.

Reconstructing the nucleon-nucleon potential by a new coupled-channel inversion method.

A second-order supersymmetric transformation is presented, for the two-channel Schrödinger equation with equal thresholds. It adds a Breit-Wigner term to the mixing parameter, without modifying the eigenphase shifts, and modifies the potential matrix analytically. The iteration of a few such transformations allows a precise fit of realistic mixing parameters in terms of a Padé expansion of both the scattering matrix and the effective-range function.

Naimark-dilated PT-symmetric brachistochrone.

The quantum mechanical brachistochrone system with a PT-symmetric Hamiltonian is Naimark-dilated and reinterpreted as a subsystem of a Hermitian system in a higher-dimensional Hilbert space. This opens a way to a direct experimental implementation of the recently hypothesized PT-symmetric ultrafast brachistochrone regime of Bender et al. [Phys.