Complex potentials and the inverse problem

Abstract

The occurrence of complex potentials with real eigenvalues has implications concerning the inverse problem, i.e. the determination of a potential from its spectrum. First, any complex potential with real eigenvalues has at least one equivalent local potential. Secondly, a real spectrum does not necessarily corresponds to a local real potential. A basic ambiguity arises from the possibility the spectrum to be generated by a complex potential. The purpose of this work is to discuss several aspects of this problem.