Quantum Dynamics via Score Matching on Bohmian Trajectories

arXiv cs.LG / 4/29/2026

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Key Points

  • The paper presents a method to solve the time-dependent Schrödinger equation by learning the score (the gradient of the log probability density) along Bohmian trajectories.
  • In Bohmian mechanics, the evolving density’s score determines a quantum potential, and the authors show that the resulting non-crossing Bohmian trajectories form a continuous normalizing flow governed by that score.
  • A neural network parameterizes the score, and training minimizes a self-consistent Fisher divergence to align the network’s score with the score implied by the generated density.
  • The authors prove that, for nodeless wave functions, the zero-loss solution of this self-consistent objective exactly recovers Schrödinger dynamics.
  • They demonstrate the framework on real-time quantum phenomena including wavepacket splitting in a double-well potential and anharmonic vibrations in a Morse chain, positioning the approach as a bridge between quantum dynamics and modern generative-modeling tools.

Abstract

We solve the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation by learning the score function, the gradient of the log-probability density, on Bohmian trajectories. In Bohm's formulation of quantum mechanics, particles follow deterministic paths under the classical potential supplemented by a quantum potential depending on the score function of the evolving density. These non-crossing Bohmian trajectories form a continuous normalizing flow governed by the score. We parametrize the score with a neural network and minimize a self-consistent Fisher divergence between the network and the score of the resulting density. We prove that the zero-loss minimizer of this self-consistent objective recovers Schr\"odinger dynamics for nodeless wave functions, a condition naturally met in quantum vibrations of atoms. We demonstrate the approach on wavepacket splitting in a double-well potential and anharmonic vibrations of a Morse chain. By recasting real-time quantum dynamics as a self-consistent score-driven normalizing flow, this framework opens the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation to the rapidly advancing toolkit of modern generative modeling.