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Are there two different ways to express the position operator $x$ in terms of the creation and annihilation operator?

Physics Asked by jiadong on June 30, 2021

As we known, to express the position operator $x$ in terms of the creation and annihilation operator $a^{+}$ and $a$, one way is:
$$x= sqrt{frac{hbar}{2muomega}}(a^++a);$$

$$p= isqrt{frac{muhbaromega}{2}}(a^+-a).$$

But how about

$$x= -isqrt{frac{hbar}{2muomega}}(a^+-a);$$

$$p= sqrt{frac{muhbaromega}{2}}(a^++a)? $$

I want to know whether the two expressions are fine.

PS: It seems that I can use them to calculate something like fluctuation $langleDelta_xrangle^2$ at coherent state $|alpharangle$.
Both expressions can give the right answer.

By the 1st expression,

$langlealpha|x^2|alpharangle=frac{hbar}{2muomega}[(alpha+alpha^*)^2+1]$,

$langlealpha|x|alpharangle^2=frac{hbar}{2muomega}[(alpha+alpha^*)^2]$

then,

$langleDelta_xrangle^2=langlealpha|x^2|alpharangle – langlealpha|x|alpharangle^2 =frac{hbar}{2muomega}$.

By the 2nd way,

$langlealpha|x^2|alpharangle=-frac{hbar}{2muomega}[(alpha-alpha^*)^2-1]$,

$langlealpha|x|alpharangle^2=-frac{hbar}{2muomega}[(alpha-alpha^*)^2]$

therefore,

$langleDelta_xrangle^2=langlealpha|x^2|alpharangle – langlealpha|x|alpharangle^2 =frac{hbar}{2muomega}$.

The result is the same.

And if we check the dimension, this formula is also OK.

One Answer

You are just dealing with the unitary transformation $$U : L^2(mathbb R) to L^2(mathbb R):.$$ defined by the unique linear continuous extension of $$U|nrangle := i^n |nrangle:,$$ which implies $$ U ^dagger a U = i a:,qquad U ^dagger a^dagger U = -i a^dagger:,$$ The two pairs of operators $x,p$ are related by means of the same unitary transformations. As is well-known, unitary transformations preserve the structure of quantum mechanics.

Correct answer by Valter Moretti on June 30, 2021

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