Reviews in Mathematical Physics

We extend the mathematical theory of quantum hypothesis testing to the general W*-algebraic setting and explore its relation with recent developments in non-equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics. In particular, we relate the large deviation principle for the full counting statistics of entropy flow to quantum hypothesis testing of the arrow of time.

Path integral representations for generalized Schrödinger operators obtained under a class of Bernstein functions of the Laplacian are established. The one-to-one correspondence of Bernstein functions with Lévy subordinators is used, thereby the role of Brownian motion entering the standard Feynman–Kac formula is taken here by subordinate Brownian motion. As specific examples, fractional and relativistic Schrödinger operators with magnetic field and spin are covered. Results on self-adjointness of these operators are obtained under conditions allowing for singular magnetic fields and singular external potentials as well as arbitrary integer and half-integer spin values. This approach also allows to propose a notion of generalized Kato class for which an L^p-L^q bound of the associated generalized Schrödinger semigroup is shown. As a consequence, diamagnetic and energy comparison inequalities are also derived.

First, this paper proves the existence of a minimizer for the Pekar functional including a constant magnetic field and possibly some additional local fields that are energy reducing. Second, the existence of the aforementioned minimizer is used to establish the binding of polarons in the model of Pekar–Tomasevich including external fields.