Nonlinear Schrodinger equation: A testing ground for the quantization of nonlinear waves

Quantization of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation is carried out by the method due to Kerman and Klein. A viable procedure is inferred from the quantum interpretation of the classical (soliton) solution. The ground-state energy for a system with n particles is calculated to an accuracy which includes the first quantum correction to the semiclassical result. It is demonstrated that the exact answer can be obtained systematically only at the next level of approximation. For the calculation of the first quantum correction, the quantum theory of the stability of periodic orbits in field theory is developed and discussed. Since one is dealing with a finite many-body problem, the field theory can be written so that no infinite terms are encountered, but the Hamiltonian can also be artificially rearranged so as to destory this feature. For learning purposes the calculations are carried out with the various alternatives, and our methods prove capable of providing a uniform final result