A new class of exact coherent states: enhanced quantization of motion on the half-line

Abstract: We have discovered a class of dynamically stable coherent states for motion on the half-line. The regularization of the half-line boundary and the consequent quantum motion are expounded within the framework of covariant affine quantization, although alternative approaches are also feasible. The former approach is rooted in affine coherent states and offers a consistent semiclassical representation of quantum motion. However, this method has been known to possess two shortcomings: (a) the dependence of affine coherent states on the choice of a vector, denoted as 'fiducial vector' (which remains unspecified), introduces significant arbitrariness in boundary regularization, and (b) regardless of the choice of 'fiducial vector,' affine coherent states fail to evolve parametrically under the Schr\"odinger equation, thus limiting the accuracy of the semiclassical description. This limitation, in particular, hampers their suitability for approximating the evolution of compound observables. We demonstrate that a distinct and more refined definition of affine coherent states can simultaneously address both of these issues. In other words, these new affine coherent states exhibit parametric evolution only when the 'fiducial vector,' denoted as $|\psi_0>$, possesses a highly specific character, such as being an eigenstate of a well-defined Hamiltonian. Our discovery holds significant relevance in the field of quantum cosmology, particularly in scenarios where the positive variable is the scale factor of the universe, and its regularized motion plays a crucial role in avoiding the big-bang singularity.