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The path integral formulation is a description in quantum mechanics that generalizes the stationary action principle of classical mechanics. It replaces the classical notion of a single, unique classical trajectory for a system with a sum, or functional integral, over an infinity of quantum-mechanically possible trajectories to compute a ...
Path integral may refer to: Line integral, the integral of a function along a curve. Contour integral, the integral of a complex function along a curve used in complex analysis. Functional integration, the integral of a functional over a space of curves. Path integral formulation, Richard Feynman's formulation of quantum mechanics using ...
This expression actually defines the manner in which the path integrals are to be taken. The coefficient in front is needed to ensure that the expression has the correct dimensions, but it has no actual relevance in any physical application. This recovers the path integral formulation from Schrödinger's equation.
Path integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) is a quantum Monte Carlo method used to solve quantum statistical mechanics problems numerically within the path integral formulation. The application of Monte Carlo methods to path integral simulations of condensed matter systems was first pursued in a key paper by John A. Barker. [1][2]
The Feynman–Kac formula resulted, which proves rigorously the real-valued case of Feynman's path integrals. The complex case, which occurs when a particle's spin is included, is still an open question. [2] It offers a method of solving certain partial differential equations by simulating random paths of a stochastic process.
A common integral is a path integral of the form ((, ˙)) where (, ˙) is the classical action and the integral is over all possible paths that a particle may take. In the limit of small ℏ {\displaystyle \hbar } the integral can be evaluated in the stationary phase approximation .
Functional integration. Functional integration is a collection of results in mathematics and physics where the domain of an integral is no longer a region of space, but a space of functions. Functional integrals arise in probability, in the study of partial differential equations, and in the path integral approach to the quantum mechanics of ...
Path integration. Path integration sums the vectors of distance and direction traveled from a start point to estimate current position, and so the path back to the start. Path integration is the method thought to be used by animals for dead reckoning.