Open AccessDiffraction of Wigner functions
Author(s) -
Stephen C. Creagh,
Martin Sieber,
Gabriele Gradoni,
Gregor Tanner
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of physics. a, mathematical and theoretical
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.787
H-Index - 163
eISSN - 1751-8121
pISSN - 1751-8113
DOI - 10.1088/1751-8121/abc72a
Subject(s) - ray tracing (physics) , propagator , diffraction , semiclassical physics , specular reflection , wigner distribution function , physics , refraction , function (biology) , optics , computer science , quantum mechanics , evolutionary biology , quantum , biology
We describe the contribution of diffractive orbits to semiclassical approximations of Wigner function propagators. These contributions are based on diffractively scattered rays used in the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD). They provide an extension of well-established approximations of Wigner-function propagators based on rays that propagate by specular reflection and refraction. The wider aim of this approach is to allow for diffractive mechanisms to be accounted for in Eulerian approaches to ray-tracing simulations. Such approaches propagate densities of rays rather than follow rays individually. They promise to be a more efficient means of performing ray-tracing simulations in complex environments with applications in, for example, planning of wireless signal coverage for mobile communication networks.