1205.4773 (R. Munoz et al.)

Spontaneous symmetry breakdown in non-relativistic quantum mechanics    [PDF]

R. Munoz, A. Garcia-Quiroz, Ernesto Lopez-Chavez, Encarnacion Salinas-Hernandez

The advantages and disadvantages of some pedagogical non-relativistic quantum-mechanical models, used to illustrate spontaneous symmetry breakdown, are discussed. A simple quantum-mechanical toy model (a spinor on the line, subject to a magnetostatic interaction) is presented, that exhibits the spontaneous breakdown of an internal symmetry.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1205.4773