Renormalons in quantum mechanics

Abstract

We present a nonrelativistic one-particle quantum mechanics whose perturbative S-matrix exhibits a renormalon divergence that we explicitely compute. The potential of our model is the sum of the 2d Dirac δ-potential — known to require renormalization — and a 1d Dirac δ-potential tilted at an angle. We argue that renormalons are not specific to this example and exist for a much wider class of potentials. The ambiguity in the Borel summation of the perturbative series due to the renormalon pole is resolved by the physical condition of causality through careful consideration of the iϵ prescription. The suitably summed perturbative result coincides with the exact answer obtained through the operator formalism for scattering.