Open Access

Hans Cruz Prado

• In this work a nonlinear evolution of pure states of a finite dimensional quantum system is introduced, in particular a Riccati evolution equation. It is shown how this class of dynamics is actually a Hamiltonian dynamics in the complex projective space. In this projective space it is shown that there is a nonlinear superposition rule, consistent with its linear counterpart in the Hilbert space. As an example, the developed nonlinear formalism is applied to the semiclassical Jaynes–Cummings model. Later, it is shown that there is an inherent nonlinear evolution in the dynamics of the so-called generalized coherent states. To show this, the fact that in quantum mechanics it is possible to immerse a ''classical'' manifold into the Hilbert space is employed, such that one may parametrize the time-dependence of the wave function through the variation of parameters in the classical manifold. The immersion allows to consider the so-called principle of analogy, i.e. using the procedures and structures available from the classical setting to employ them in the quantum setting. Finally, it is introduced the contact Hamiltonian mechanics, an extension of symplectic Hamiltonian mechanics, and it is showed that it is a natural candidate for a geometric description of non-dissipative and dissipative systems.