QUANTIZATION WITHOUT QUANTIZATION

Appropriate to a single classical degree of freedom, completely genera l, two-parameter ''coherent states'' are defined without the use of an y group or any c-number to q-number transformation and in such a way t hat the classical phase space inherits a generically symmetry-free geo metry. A coherent-state path integral provides a quantization prescrip tion for a classical system that gives a new dimension to the generali ty of such a procedure. In addition, sets of coherent states may be de signed so that each set is invariant under time evolution by a Kamilto nian chosen from an infinite set of distinct Hamiltonian operators. Th e extension of these ideas to multiple degree-of-freedom systems is in dicated. (C) 1995 academic Press, Inc.