This is a textbook on stochastic quantization which was originally proposed by G. Parisi and Y. S. Wu in 1981 and then developed by many workers. I assume that the reader has finished a standard course in quantum field theory. The Parisi-Wu stochastic quantization method gives quantum mechanics as the thermal-equilibrium limit of a hypothetical stochastic process with respect to some fictitious time other than ordinary time. We can consider this to be a third method of quantization; remarkably different from the conventional theories, i. e, the canonical and path-integral ones. Over the past ten years, we have seen the technical merits of this method in quantizing gauge fields and in performing large numerical simulations, which have never been obtained by the other methods. I believe that the stochastic quantization method has the potential to extend the territory of quantum mechanics and of quantum field theory. However, I should remark that stochastic quantization is still under development through many mathematical improvements and physical applications, and also that the fictitious time of the theory is only a mathematical tool, for which we do not yet know its origin in the physical background. For these reasons, in this book, I attempt to describe its theoretical formulation in detail as well as practical achievements.

This book describes the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism of quantum mechanics, which allowscomputation of eigenvalues of quantum mechanical potential problems without solving for thewave function. The examples presented include exotic potentials such as quasi-exactly solvablemodels and Lame an dassociated Lame potentials. A careful application of boundary conditionsoffers an insight into the nature of solutions of several potential models. Advancedundergraduates having knowledge of complex variables and quantum mechanics will find thisas an interesting method to obtain the eigenvalues and eigen-functions. The discussion oncomplex zeros of the wave function gives intriguing new results which are relevant foradvanced students and young researchers. Moreover, a few open problems in research arediscussed as well, which pose a challenge to the mathematically oriented readers.