Role of nonlinearity in non-Hermitian quantum mechanics: Description of linear quantum electrodynamics from the nonlinear Schrödinger-Poisson equation

Abstract

In this paper we consider a basic two-level nonlinear quantum model consisting in a two-particle interacting bound-state system. It is described by means of two different approaches: i) the mean-field stationary nonlinear Schrodinger-Poisson equation with classical Coulomb interaction and harmonic potential; ii) the linear quantum electrodynamics Hamiltonian of a quantized field coupled to two fixed charges. Computing numerically the ground state and the first excited state about the maximum eigenstate overlap (which is not zero because of eigenstate non-orthogonality), we numerically demonstrate that these two descriptions coincide at first order. As a consequence, a specific definition of the fine-structure constant \( \alpha\) is provided within 99.95% accuracy by the present first-order non-relativistic and nonlinear quantum description. This result also means that the internal Coulomb interaction commutes with external particle confinement for the calculation of the ground state. Consequently peculiar nonlinear quantum properties become observable (an experiment with GaAs quantum-dot helium is suggested).