Space-time fractional Schrodinger equation with time-independent potentials

We develop a space-time fractional Schrodinger equation containing Caputo fractional derivative and the quantum Riesz fractional operator from a space fractional Schrodinger equation in this paper. By use of the new equation we study the time evolution behaviors of the space-time fractional quantum system in the time-independent potential fields and two cases that the order of the time fractional derivative is between zero and one and between one and two are discussed respectively. The space-time fractional Schrodinger equation with time-independent potentials is divided into a space equation and a time one. A general solution, which is composed of oscillatory terms and decay ones, is obtained. We investigate the time limits of the total probability and the energy levels of particles when time goes to infinity and find that the limit values not only depend on the order of the time derivative, but also on the sign (positive or negative) of the eigenvalues of the space equation. We also find that the limit value of the total probability can be greater or less than one, which means the space-time fractional Schrodinger equation describes the quantum system where the probability is not conservative and particles may be extracted from or absorbed by the potentials. Additionally, the non-Markovian time evolution laws of the space-time fractional quantum system are discussed. The formula of the time evolution of the mechanical quantities is derived and we prove that there is no conservative quantities in the space-time fractional quantum system. We also get a Mittag-Leffler type of time evolution operator of wave functions and then establish a Heisenberg equation containing fractional operators. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.