Generalized unitarity relation for linear scattering systems in one dimension (Q2330894)

Solutions of a somewhat unspecified linear wave equation are considered which tend to \[A\mp(k)e^{ikx}+B_\mp(k)e^{-ikx}\quad\text{as}\quad x\to\mp\infty,\] where \(A_\pm\), \(B_\pm\) are complex-valued functions. The entries of the (invertible) transfer matrix \(M\), given by \[M\binom{A_-}{B_-}=\binom{A_+}{B_+},\] are used to define left (right) reflection and transmission coefficients which, together with the determinant \(D\) of the scattering matrix, satisfy \[D(k)[T^r(-k)T^\ell(k)+R^\ell(-k)R^\ell(k)-1]=0,\tag{1}\] \[D(k)[T^\ell(-k)T^r(k)+R^r(-k)R^r(k)-1]=0.\tag{2}\] The modulus of \(D\) turns out to be one if the system is time- or time-and-parity invariant. In this case, the brackets in (1),\thinspace(2) are zero and reduce to the usual unitarity relations of the left (right) reflection and transmission amplitudes. In general, however, \(D\) may have zeros. For the entire collection see [Zbl 1417.53002].