NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINISTIC PARTICLE METHOD APPLIED TO THE WIGNER EQUATION

The Wigner equation of quantum mechanics has the form of a kinetic equation with a pseudodifferential operator in a Fourier integral form which requires great care in the numerical approximation. This paper is concerned with the numerical analysis of the weighted particle method, introduced by S. Mas-Gallic and P. A. Raviart, applied to this equation. In particular, we will prove convergence of the method in a physically relevant case, where the Wigner equation models the quantum tunneling of electrons through a potential barrier.