Topics in Quantum Mechanics University of Cambridge Part II Mathematical Tripos
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Further Quantum Physics
Further Quantum Physics Concepts in quantum physics and the structure of hydrogen and helium atoms Prof Andrew Steane January 18, 2005 2 Contents 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Quantum physics and atoms . 7 1.1.1 The role of classical and quantum mechanics . 9 1.2 Atomic physics—some preliminaries . .... 9 1.2.1 Textbooks...................................... 10 2 The 1-dimensional projectile: an example for revision 11 2.1 Classicaltreatment................................. ..... 11 2.2 Quantum treatment . 13 2.2.1 Mainfeatures..................................... 13 2.2.2 Precise quantum analysis . 13 3 Hydrogen 17 3.1 Some semi-classical estimates . 17 3.2 2-body system: reduced mass . 18 3.2.1 Reduced mass in quantum 2-body problem . 19 3.3 Solution of Schr¨odinger equation for hydrogen . ..... 20 3.3.1 General features of the radial solution . 21 3.3.2 Precisesolution.................................. 21 3.3.3 Meanradius...................................... 25 3.3.4 How to remember hydrogen . 25 3.3.5 Mainpoints.................................... 25 3.3.6 Appendix on series solution of hydrogen equation, off syllabus . 26 3 4 CONTENTS 4 Hydrogen-like systems and spectra 27 4.1 Hydrogen-like systems . 27 4.2 Spectroscopy ........................................ 29 4.2.1 Main points for use of grating spectrograph . ...... 29 4.2.2 Resolution...................................... 30 4.2.3 Usefulness of both emission and absorption methods . 30 4.3 The spectrum for hydrogen . 31 5 Introduction to fine structure and spin 33 5.1 Experimental observation of fine structure . ..... 33 5.2 TheDiracresult ..................................... 34 5.3 Schr¨odinger method to account for fine structure . 35 5.4 Physical nature of orbital and spin angular momenta . -
Quantum Mechanics C (Physics 130C) Winter 2015 Assignment 2
University of California at San Diego { Department of Physics { Prof. John McGreevy Quantum Mechanics C (Physics 130C) Winter 2015 Assignment 2 Posted January 14, 2015 Due 11am Thursday, January 22, 2015 Please remember to put your name at the top of your homework. Go look at the Physics 130C web site; there might be something new and interesting there. Reading: Preskill's Quantum Information Notes, Chapter 2.1, 2.2. 1. More linear algebra exercises. (a) Show that an operator with matrix representation 1 1 1 P = 2 1 1 is a projector. (b) Show that a projector with no kernel is the identity operator. 2. Complete sets of commuting operators. In the orthonormal basis fjnign=1;2;3, the Hermitian operators A^ and B^ are represented by the matrices A and B: 0a 0 0 1 0 0 ib 01 A = @0 a 0 A ;B = @−ib 0 0A ; 0 0 −a 0 0 b with a; b real. (a) Determine the eigenvalues of B^. Indicate whether its spectrum is degenerate or not. (b) Check that A and B commute. Use this to show that A^ and B^ do so also. (c) Find an orthonormal basis of eigenvectors common to A and B (and thus to A^ and B^) and specify the eigenvalues for each eigenvector. (d) Which of the following six sets form a complete set of commuting operators for this Hilbert space? (Recall that a complete set of commuting operators allow us to specify an orthonormal basis by their eigenvalues.) fA^g; fB^g; fA;^ B^g; fA^2; B^g; fA;^ B^2g; fA^2; B^2g: 1 3.A positive operator is one whose eigenvalues are all positive. -
On the Symmetry of the Quantum-Mechanical Particle in a Cubic Box Arxiv:1310.5136 [Quant-Ph] [9] Hern´Andez-Castillo a O and Lemus R 2013 J
On the symmetry of the quantum-mechanical particle in a cubic box Francisco M. Fern´andez INIFTA (UNLP, CCT La Plata-CONICET), Blvd. 113 y 64 S/N, Sucursal 4, Casilla de Correo 16, 1900 La Plata, Argentina E-mail: [email protected] arXiv:1310.5136v2 [quant-ph] 25 Dec 2014 Particle in a cubic box 2 Abstract. In this paper we show that the point-group (geometrical) symmetry is insufficient to account for the degeneracy of the energy levels of the particle in a cubic box. The discrepancy is due to hidden (dynamical symmetry). We obtain the operators that commute with the Hamiltonian one and connect eigenfunctions of different symmetries. We also show that the addition of a suitable potential inside the box breaks the dynamical symmetry but preserves the geometrical one.The resulting degeneracy is that predicted by point-group symmetry. 1. Introduction The particle in a one-dimensional box with impenetrable walls is one of the first models discussed in most introductory books on quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry [1, 2]. It is suitable for showing how energy quantization appears as a result of certain boundary conditions. Once we have the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for this model one can proceed to two-dimensional boxes and discuss the conditions that render the Schr¨odinger equation separable [1]. The particular case of a square box is suitable for discussing the concept of degeneracy [1]. The next step is the discussion of a particle in a three-dimensional box and in particular the cubic box as a representative of a quantum-mechanical model with high symmetry [2]. -
Molecular Energy Levels
MOLECULAR ENERGY LEVELS DR IMRANA ASHRAF OUTLINE q MOLECULE q MOLECULAR ORBITAL THEORY q MOLECULAR TRANSITIONS q INTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTER q TYPES OF MOLECULAR ENERGY LEVELS q MOLECULE q In nature there exist 92 different elements that correspond to stable atoms. q These atoms can form larger entities- called molecules. q The number of atoms in a molecule vary from two - as in N2 - to many thousand as in DNA, protiens etc. q Molecules form when the total energy of the electrons is lower in the molecule than in individual atoms. q The reason comes from the Aufbau principle - to put electrons into the lowest energy configuration in atoms. q The same principle goes for molecules. q MOLECULE q Properties of molecules depend on: § The specific kind of atoms they are composed of. § The spatial structure of the molecules - the way in which the atoms are arranged within the molecule. § The binding energy of atoms or atomic groups in the molecule. TYPES OF MOLECULES q MONOATOMIC MOLECULES § The elements that do not have tendency to form molecules. § Elements which are stable single atom molecules are the noble gases : helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radon. q DIATOMIC MOLECULES § Diatomic molecules are composed of only two atoms - of the same or different elements. § Examples: hydrogen (H2), oxygen (O2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO) q POLYATOMIC MOLECULES § Polyatomic molecules consist of a stable system comprising three or more atoms. TYPES OF MOLECULES q Empirical, Molecular And Structural Formulas q Empirical formula: Indicates the simplest whole number ratio of all the atoms in a molecule. -
Statistical Mechanics, Lecture Notes Part2
4. Two-level systems 4.1 Introduction Two-level systems, that is systems with essentially only two energy levels are important kind of systems, as at low enough temperatures, only the two lowest energy levels will be involved. Especially important are solids where each atom has two levels with different energies depending on whether the electron of the atom has spin up or down. We consider a set of N distinguishable ”atoms” each with two energy levels. The atoms in a solid are of course identical but we can distinguish them, as they are located in fixed places in the crystal lattice. The energy of these two levels are ε and ε . It is easy to write down the partition function for an atom 0 1 −ε0 / kB T −ε1 / kBT −ε 0 / k BT −ε / kB T Z = e + e = e (1+ e ) = Z0 ⋅ Zterm where ε is the energy difference between the two levels. We have written the partition sum as a product of a zero-point factor and a “thermal” factor. This is handy as in most physical connections we will have the logarithm of the partition sum and we will then get a sum of two terms: one giving the zero- point contribution, the other giving the thermal contribution. At thermal dynamical equilibrium we then have the occupation numbers in the two levels N −ε 0/kBT N n0 = e = Z 1+ e−ε /k BT −ε /k BT N −ε 1 /k BT Ne n1 = e = Z 1 + e−ε /k BT We see that at very low temperatures almost all the particles are in the ground state while at high temperatures there is essentially the same number of particles in the two levels. -
Total Angular Momentum
Total Angular momentum Dipanjan Mazumdar Sept 2019 1 Motivation So far, somewhat deliberately, in our prior examples we have worked exclusively with the spin angular momentum and ignored the orbital component. This is acceptable for L = 0 systems such as filled shell atoms, but properties of partially filled atoms will depend both on the orbital and the spin part of the angular momentum. Also, when we include relativistic corrections to atomic Hamiltonian, both spin and orbital angular momentum enter directly through terms like L:~ S~ called the spin-orbit coupling. So instead of focusing only on the spin or orbital angular momentum, we have to develop an understanding as to how they couple together. One of the ways is through the total angular momentum defined as J~ = L~ + S~ (1) We will see that this will be very useful in many cases such as the real hydrogen atom where the eigenstates after including the fine structure effects such as spin-orbit interaction are eigenstates of the total angular momentum operator. 2 Vector model of angular momentum Let us first develop an intuitive understanding of the total angular momentum through the vector model which is a semi-classical approach to \add" angular momenta using vector algebra. We shall first ask, knowing L~ and S~, what are the maxmimum and minimum values of J^. This is simple to answer us- ing the vector model since vectors can be added or subtracted. Therefore, the extreme values are L~ + S~ and L~ − S~ as seen in figure 1.1 Therefore, the total angular momentum will take up values between l+s Figure 1: Maximum and minimum values of angular and jl − sj. -
1. the Hamiltonian, H = Α Ipi + Βm, Must Be Her- Mitian to Give Real
1. The hamiltonian, H = αipi + βm, must be her- yields mitian to give real eigenvalues. Thus, H = H† = † † † pi αi +β m. From non-relativistic quantum mechanics † † † αi pi + β m = aipi + βm (2) we know that pi = pi . In addition, [αi,pj ] = 0 because we impose that the α, β operators act on the spinor in- † † αi = αi, β = β. Thus α, β are hermitian operators. dices while pi act on the coordinates of the wave function itself. With these conditions we may proceed: To verify the other properties of the α, and β operators † † piαi + β m = αipi + βm (1) we compute 2 H = (αipi + βm) (αj pj + βm) 2 2 1 2 2 = αi pi + (αiαj + αj αi) pipj + (αiβ + βαi) m + β m , (3) 2 2 where for the second term i = j. Then imposing the Finally, making use of bi = 1 we can find the 26 2 2 2 relativistic energy relation, E = p + m , we obtain eigenvalues: biu = λu and bibiu = λbiu, hence u = λ u the anti-commutation relation | | and λ = 1. ± b ,b =2δ 1, (4) i j ij 2. We need to find the λ = +1/2 helicity eigenspinor { } ′ for an electron with momentum ~p = (p sin θ, 0, p cos θ). where b0 = β, bi = αi, and 1 n n idenitity matrix. ≡ × 1 Using the anti-commutation relation and the fact that The helicity operator is given by 2 σ pˆ, and the posi- 2 1 · bi = 1 we are able to find the trace of any bi tive eigenvalue 2 corresponds to u1 Dirac solution [see (1.5.98) in http://arXiv.org/abs/0906.1271]. -
About Supersymmetric Hydrogen
About Supersymmetric Hydrogen Robin Schneider 12 supervised by Prof. Yuji Tachikawa2 Prof. Guido Festuccia1 August 31, 2017 1Theoretical Physics - Uppsala University 2Kavli IPMU - The University of Tokyo 1 Abstract The energy levels of atomic hydrogen obey an n2 degeneracy at O(α2). It is a consequence of an so(4) symmetry, which is broken by relativistic effects such as the fine or hyperfine structure, which have an explicit angular momentum and spin dependence at higher order in α. The energy spectra of hydrogenlike bound states with underlying supersym- metry show some interesting properties. For example, in a theory with N = 1, the hyperfine splitting disappears and the spectrum is described by supermul- tiplets with energies solely determined by the super spin j and main quantum number n [1, 2]. Adding more supercharges appears to simplify the spectrum even more. For a given excitation Vl, the spectrum is then described by a single multiplet for which the energy depends only on the angular momentum l and n. In 2015 Caron-Huot and Henn showed that hydrogenlike bound states in N = 4 super Yang Mills theory preserve the n2 degeneracy of hydrogen for relativistic corrections up to O(α3) [3]. Their investigations are based on the dual super conformal symmetry of N = 4 super Yang Mills. It is expected that this result also holds for higher orders in α. The goal of this thesis is to classify the different energy spectra of super- symmetric hydrogen, and then reproduce the results found in [3] by means of conventional quantum field theory. Unfortunately, it turns out that the tech- niques used for hydrogen in (S)QED are not suitable to determine the energy corrections in a model where the photon has a massless scalar superpartner. -
Bound-State Solutions of Dirac Equation Plan of the Lecture
Lecture 3 Bound-state solutions of Dirac equation Plan of the lecture • Few comments about Dirac equation • Free- and bound-state solutions • Dirac’s spectroscopic notations – Integrals of motion – Parity of states • Energy levels of the bound-state Dirac’s particle • Structure of Dirac’s wavefunction • Radial components of the Dirac’s wavefunction Four-vectors In the relativistic world it is more convenient to work with four-vectors: Contravariant vectors Covariant vectors 휇 푥 = 푡, 푥, 푦, 푧 푥휇 = 푡, −푥, −푦, −푧 휕 휕 휕 휕 휕 휕 휕 휕 휕휇 = , − , − , − 휕 = , , , 휕푡 휕푥 휕푦 휕푧 휇 휕푡 휕푥 휕푦 휕푧 휇 푝 = 퐸, 푝푥, 푝푦, 푝푧 푝휇 = 퐸, −푝푥, −푝푦, −푝푧 Lorentz transformation 푥′휇 = 푎휈 푥휇 ′ 휈 휇 푥휇 = 푎휇 푥휇 휈 휈 훾 −훾훽 0 0 훾 훾훽 0 0 −훾훽 훾 훾훽 훾 0 0 푎휈 = 0 0 푎휈 = 휇 0 0 1 0 휇 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Klein-Gordon equation Based on the relativistic energy-mass equation: 퐸2 = 푝ҧ2 + 푚2 One can derive Klein-Gordon equation for scalar (zero-spin) relativistic particles: Oscar Klein 휇 2 휕 휕휇 + 푚 휑 푥 = 0 By introducing d'Alembert operator: 휕2 휕휇휕 =⊡= − 휵2 휇 휕푡2 We can re-write Klein-Gordon equation as: ⊡ + 푚2 휑 푥 = 0 Klein-Gordon equation We can derive Klein-Gordon equation for scalar (zero-spin) relativistic particles: 휇 2 휕 휕휇 + 푚 휑 푥 = 0 Free-particle solutions of this equation: Oscar Klein 휑 푥 = 푁 푒−푖 푝푥 = 푁 푒−푖퐸푡+푖풑풓 Allow particles with both positive and negative energy: 퐸 = ± 풑2 + 푚2 And with positive and negative probability density: 푗0 = 2 푁 2 퐸 How do we understand negative-energy solutions? And what is much worse, the negative probability density? Dirac equation We can re-write -
5.80 Small-Molecule Spectroscopy and Dynamics Fall 2008
MIT OpenCourseWare http://ocw.mit.edu 5.80 Small-Molecule Spectroscopy and Dynamics Fall 2008 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms. Lecture #1 Supplement Contents A. Spectroscopic Notation . 1 1. H. N. Russell, A. G. Shenstone, and L. A. Turner, \Report on Notation for Atomic Spectra," 1 2. W. F. Meggers and C. E. Moore, \Report of Subcommittee f (Notation for the Spectra of Diatomic Molecules)" . 2 3. F. A. Jenkins, \Report of Subcommittee f (Notation for the Spectra of Diatomic Molecules)" 2 4. No author, \Report on Notation for the Spectra of Polyatomic Molecules" . 2 B. Good Quantum Numbers . 2 C. Perturbation Theory and Secular Equations . 3 D. Non-Orthonormal Basis Sets . 6 E. Transformation of Matrix Elements of any Operator into Perturbed Basis Set . 7 A. Spectroscopic Notation The language of spectroscopy is very explicit and elegant, capable of describing a wide range of unanticipated situations concisely and unambiguously. The coherence of this language is diligently preserved by a succession of august committees, whose agreements about notation are codified. These agreements are often published as authorless articles in major journals. The following list of citations include the best of these notation-codifying articles. 1. H. N. Russell, A. G. Shenstone, and L. A. Turner, \Report on Notation for Atomic Spectra," Phys. Rev. 33, 900-906 (1929). At an informal meeting of spectroscopists at Washington in April, 1928, the writers of this report were requested to draw up a scheme for the clarification of spectroscopic notation. After much discussion and correspondence with spectroscopists both in this country and abroad we are able to present the following recommendations. -
Arxiv:2104.06232V1 [Quant-Ph] 13 Apr 2021 Implementing Such Ideas in the Laboratory Is Made Pos- Not Detect the Probed State
Driving quantum systems with repeated conditional measurements Quancheng Liu,1, ∗ Klaus Ziegler,2, y David A. Kessler,3, z and Eli Barkai1, x 1Department of Physics, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel 2Institut f¨urPhysik, Universit¨atAugsburg, D − 86135 Augsburg, Germany 3Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel (Dated: April 14, 2021) We investigate the effect of conditional null measurements on a quantum system and find a rich variety of behaviors. Specifically, quantum dynamics with a time independent H in a finite dimensional Hilbert space are considered with repeated strong null measurements of a specified state. We discuss four generic behaviors that emerge in these monitored systems. The first arises in systems without symmetry, along with their associated degeneracies in the energy spectrum, and hence in the absence of dark states as well. In this case, a unique final state can be found which is determined by the largest eigenvalue of the survival operator, the non-unitary operator encoding both the unitary evolution between measurements and the measurement itself. For a three-level system, this is similar to the well known shelving effect. Secondly, for systems with built- in symmetry and correspondingly a degenerate energy spectrum, the null measurements dynamically select the degenerate energy levels, while the non-degenerate levels are effectively wiped out. Thirdly, in the absence of dark states, and for specific choices of parameters, two or more eigenvalues of the survival operator match in magnitude, and this leads to an oscillatory behavior controlled by the measurement rate and not solely by the energy levels. -
Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics
Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics Lida Oskinova, Helge Todt Astrophysik Institut für Physik und Astronomie Universität Potsdam WiSe 2016/2017 L. Oskinova, H. Todt (UP) Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics WiSe 2016/2017 1 / 142 The Hydrogen Atom L. Oskinova, H. Todt (UP) Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics WiSe 2016/2017 2 / 142 Contents importance of hydrogen, origin the hydrogen spectrum (brief) history of atom models quantum mechanics and solution of the central-force problem L. Oskinova, H. Todt (UP) Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics WiSe 2016/2017 3 / 142 Hydrogen discovered 1766 by Cavendish (metal + acid), and found as constituent of water by de Lavoisir (1787) ! hydrogen = generator of water simplest atom: proton & electron - mass 1:6738 × 10−27 kg Eion ≈ 13:6 eV isotopes: deuterium (1 neutron) and tritium (2 neutrons) origin: Big Bang; deuterium from primordial nucleosynthesis (1 min after BB at 60 MK ^= 80 keV); recombination at 378 000 yr (z = 1100) ! transparent universe fuel for stars (fusion) via proton-proton chain reaction or CNO cycle L. Oskinova, H. Todt (UP) Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics WiSe 2016/2017 4 / 142 The hydrogen spectrumI Spectrum of a Balmer lamp: ! low pressure gas-discharge tube (H. Geißler 1857) filled with hydrogen Ångström (1862): spectral lines of hydrogen in spectrum of sun L. Oskinova, H. Todt (UP) Atomic Spectra in Astrophysics WiSe 2016/2017 5 / 142 The hydrogen spectrumII Balmer (1885): spectral lines of hydrogen given by hm2 λ = (n = 2; m = 3; 4; 5;:::) (1) m2 − n2 with h = 3645:6 × 10−10 m and 10−10 m = 1 Å, typical size of an atom predicted lines for m > were found in A stars Rydberg (1888): generalization to other series 1 1 1 7 −1 = RH 2 − 2 ; RH = 1:096775854 × 10 m (2) λ n1 n2 generalization to H-like ions (e.g.