Lyapunov exponents for classical-quantum mixed-mode dynamics

Abstract

The mixed-mode philosophy of combining classical and quantum degrees of freedom under a single umbrella is employed to study chaotic behavior under quantization. The quantal wave packet is expanded in terms of a set of basis functions. The Jacobi-Hamilton formalism of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation allows the treatment of real and imaginary components of the time-dependent expansion coefficients as coordinates and momenta so that Lyapunov exponents can be calculated. Under the mixed-mode formalism, a two-dimensional nonlinearly coupled oscillator system is partially quantized by letting one of the modes obey classical and the other quantal dynamics. The Lyapunov exponent spectrum of the complete system is obtained and the results are compared with the fully classical ones.