A book on quantum mechanics based on high-level mathematics

Question

I'm interested in quantum mechanics book that uses high level mathematics (not only the usual functional analysis and the theory of generalised functions but the theory of pseudodifferential operators etc, certainly the modern mathematics). If there isn't something similar please give me a reference to the book that is strictly supported by mathematics (given a set of mathematically descripted axioms author develops the theory using mathematics as a main tool).

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Nimza

Comments

"Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics" - Mackey

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user MBN

---

Related: physics.stackexchange.com/q/5014/2451

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Qmechanic

Answer 1

1.

E. Zeidler, Quantum Field theory I Basics in Mathematics and Physics, Springer 2006. http://www.mis.mpg.de/zeidler/qft.html

is a book I highly recommend. It is the first volume of a sequence, of which not all volumes have been published yet. This volume gives an overview over the main mathematical techniques used in quantum physics, in a way that you cannot find anywhere else.

It is a mix of rigorous mathematics and intuitive explanation, and tries to build ''A bridge between mathematiciands and physicists'' as the subtitle says. It makes very interesting reading if you know already enough math and physics, and gives plenty of references as entry points to the literature for topics on which your background is meager.

As regards to your request for high level mathematics (in the specific form of pseudo-differential operators, etc.), Zeidler discusses - as Section 12.5 - on 28 (of 958 total) pages microlocal analysis and its use, though there is only two pages specifically devoted to PDO (p.728-729), but he says there (and emphasizes) that ''Fourier integral operators play a fundamental role in quantum field theory for describing the propagation of physical effects'' - so you can expect that they play a more prominent role in the volumes to come.

But, of course, PDO are implicit in all serious high level mathematical work on quantum mechanics even without mentioning them explicitly, as for example the Hamiltonian in the interaction representation, $H_{int}=e^{-itH_0}He^{itH_0}$, is a PDO. Work on Wigner transforms is work on PDOs, etc..

2.

Other books using PDO, much more specialized:

G. B. Folland, Harmonic analysis in phase space

A.L. Carey, Motives, quantum field theory, and pseudodifferential operators

A. Juengel, Transport equations for semiconductors

C. Cercignani and E. Gabetta, Transport phenomena and kinetic theory

N.P. Landsman, Mathematical topics between classical and quantum mechanics

M. de Gosson, Symplectic geometry and quantum mechanics

P. Zhang, Wigner measure and semiclassical limits of nonlinear Schroedinger equations

3.

Finally, as an example of a book that ''is strictly supported by mathematics (given a set of mathematically described axioms, the author develops the theory using mathematics as a main tool)'', I can offer my own book

A. Neumaier and D. Westra, Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras. This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Arnold Neumaier

Comments

Nice list, Arnold! The Zeidler is a pretty good 1.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Peter Morgan

Answer 2

A commonly cited classic that might be appropriate for you is Reed & Simon, the set. Be prepared for sticker shock. I'm not sure if that is modern enough for you, however.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Peter Morgan

Comments

I looked for some pages and for contents. I think there is a functional analysis book rather than a book on quantum mechanics

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Nimza

---

The four volumes develop all the functional analysis needed for quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, but also cover a lot of the ground typical mathematical physics texts (such as the 4 volumes of Thirring) cover - and it is definitely more rigorous than Thirring, and easier to read.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 04:50 (UCT), posted by SE-user Arnold Neumaier

Answer 3

There are also two books by the St.-Peterburg school which could be worth looking at:

L.A. Takhtajan, Quantum Mechanics for Mathematicians

and an older one

L.D. Faddeev, O.A. Yakubovskii, Lectures on Quantum Mechanics for Mathematics Students

Takhtajan's book is more advanced and modern: he covers inter alia supersymmetry and Feynman path integrals in addition to the standard subjects.

The material in Faddeev and Yakubovskii is more standard, but in addition to that they have e.g. some nice bits of representation theory.

Comments

I would like to second the Takhtajan book - having looked at it a bit it looks dead on exactly what I would want when studying "the mathematics of quantum mechanics".

Answer 4

I'd like to add the recent book 

Quantum Theory, Groups and Representations by Peter Woit. (Avalialble freely online.)

The book develops quantum mechanics (and the beginnings of quantum field theory) in parallel with Lie algebras and group representation theory.