The Path Integral Approach to Quantum Mechanics Lecture Notes for Quantum Mechanics IV
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An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory
AN INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM FIELD THEORY By Dr M Dasgupta University of Manchester Lecture presented at the School for Experimental High Energy Physics Students Somerville College, Oxford, September 2009 - 1 - - 2 - Contents 0 Prologue....................................................................................................... 5 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 6 1.1 Lagrangian formalism in classical mechanics......................................... 6 1.2 Quantum mechanics................................................................................... 8 1.3 The Schrödinger picture........................................................................... 10 1.4 The Heisenberg picture............................................................................ 11 1.5 The quantum mechanical harmonic oscillator ..................................... 12 Problems .............................................................................................................. 13 2 Classical Field Theory............................................................................. 14 2.1 From N-point mechanics to field theory ............................................... 14 2.2 Relativistic field theory ............................................................................ 15 2.3 Action for a scalar field ............................................................................ 15 2.4 Plane wave solution to the Klein-Gordon equation ........................... -
Classical and Modern Diffraction Theory
Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/chapter-pdf/3701993/frontmatter.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Classical and Modern Diffraction Theory Edited by Kamill Klem-Musatov Henning C. Hoeber Tijmen Jan Moser Michael A. Pelissier SEG Geophysics Reprint Series No. 29 Sergey Fomel, managing editor Evgeny Landa, volume editor Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/chapter-pdf/3701993/frontmatter.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Society of Exploration Geophysicists 8801 S. Yale, Ste. 500 Tulsa, OK 74137-3575 U.S.A. # 2016 by Society of Exploration Geophysicists All rights reserved. This book or parts hereof may not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. Published 2016 Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-1-931830-00-6 (Series) ISBN 978-1-56080-322-5 (Volume) Library of Congress Control Number: 2015951229 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/chapter-pdf/3701993/frontmatter.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Dedication We dedicate this volume to the memory Dr. Kamill Klem-Musatov. In reading this volume, you will find that the history of diffraction We worked with Kamill over a period of several years to compile theory was filled with many controversies and feuds as new theories this volume. This volume was virtually ready for publication when came to displace or revise previous ones. Kamill Klem-Musatov’s Kamill passed away. He is greatly missed. new theory also met opposition; he paid a great personal price in Kamill’s role in Classical and Modern Diffraction Theory goes putting forth his theory for the seismic diffraction forward problem. -
Intensity of Double-Slit Pattern • Three Or More Slits
• Intensity of double-slit pattern • Three or more slits Practice: Chapter 37, problems 13, 14, 17, 19, 21 Screen at ∞ θ d Path difference Δr = d sin θ zero intensity at d sinθ = (m ± ½ ) λ, m = 0, ± 1, ± 2, … max. intensity at d sinθ = m λ, m = 0, ± 1, ± 2, … 1 Questions: -what is the intensity of the double-slit pattern at an arbitrary position? -What about three slits? four? five? Find the intensity of the double-slit interference pattern as a function of position on the screen. Two waves: E1 = E0 sin(ωt) E2 = E0 sin(ωt + φ) where φ =2π (d sin θ )/λ , and θ gives the position. Steps: Find resultant amplitude, ER ; then intensities obey where I0 is the intensity of each individual wave. 2 Trigonometry: sin a + sin b = 2 cos [(a-b)/2] sin [(a+b)/2] E1 + E2 = E0 [sin(ωt) + sin(ωt + φ)] = 2 E0 cos (φ / 2) cos (ωt + φ / 2)] Resultant amplitude ER = 2 E0 cos (φ / 2) Resultant intensity, (a function of position θ on the screen) I position - fringes are wide, with fuzzy edges - equally spaced (in sin θ) - equal brightness (but we have ignored diffraction) 3 With only one slit open, the intensity in the centre of the screen is 100 W/m 2. With both (identical) slits open together, the intensity at locations of constructive interference will be a) zero b) 100 W/m2 c) 200 W/m2 d) 400 W/m2 How does this compare with shining two laser pointers on the same spot? θ θ sin d = d Δr1 d θ sin d = 2d θ Δr2 sin = 3d Δr3 Total, 4 The total field is where φ = 2π (d sinθ )/λ •When d sinθ = 0, λ , 2λ, .. -
Light and Matter Diffraction from the Unified Viewpoint of Feynman's
European J of Physics Education Volume 8 Issue 2 1309-7202 Arlego & Fanaro Light and Matter Diffraction from the Unified Viewpoint of Feynman’s Sum of All Paths Marcelo Arlego* Maria de los Angeles Fanaro** Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires CONICET, Argentine *[email protected] **[email protected] (Received: 05.04.2018, Accepted: 22.05.2017) Abstract In this work, we present a pedagogical strategy to describe the diffraction phenomenon based on a didactic adaptation of the Feynman’s path integrals method, which uses only high school mathematics. The advantage of our approach is that it allows to describe the diffraction in a fully quantum context, where superposition and probabilistic aspects emerge naturally. Our method is based on a time-independent formulation, which allows modelling the phenomenon in geometric terms and trajectories in real space, which is an advantage from the didactic point of view. A distinctive aspect of our work is the description of the series of transformations and didactic transpositions of the fundamental equations that give rise to a common quantum framework for light and matter. This is something that is usually masked by the common use, and that to our knowledge has not been emphasized enough in a unified way. Finally, the role of the superposition of non-classical paths and their didactic potential are briefly mentioned. Keywords: quantum mechanics, light and matter diffraction, Feynman’s Sum of all Paths, high education INTRODUCTION This work promotes the teaching of quantum mechanics at the basic level of secondary school, where the students have not the necessary mathematics to deal with canonical models that uses Schrodinger equation. -
The Union of Quantum Field Theory and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
The Union of Quantum Field Theory and Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics Thesis by Anthony Bartolotta In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Pasadena, California 2018 Defended May 24, 2018 ii c 2018 Anthony Bartolotta ORCID: 0000-0003-4971-9545 All rights reserved iii Acknowledgments My time as a graduate student at Caltech has been a journey for me, both professionally and personally. This journey would not have been possible without the support of many individuals. First, I would like to thank my advisors, Sean Carroll and Mark Wise. Without their support, this thesis would not have been written. Despite entering Caltech with weaker technical skills than many of my fellow graduate students, Mark took me on as a student and gave me my first project. Mark also granted me the freedom to pursue my own interests, which proved instrumental in my decision to work on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. I am deeply grateful for being provided this priviledge and for his con- tinued input on my research direction. Sean has been an incredibly effective research advisor, despite being a newcomer to the field of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Sean was the organizing force behind our first paper on this topic and connected me with other scientists in the broader community; at every step Sean has tried to smoothly transition me from the world of particle physics to that of non-equilibrium thermody- namics. My research would not have been nearly as fruitful without his support. I would also like to thank the other two members of my thesis and candidacy com- mittees, John Preskill and Keith Schwab. -
Appendix: the Interaction Picture
Appendix: The Interaction Picture The technique of expressing operators and quantum states in the so-called interaction picture is of great importance in treating quantum-mechanical problems in a perturbative fashion. It plays an important role, for example, in the derivation of the Born–Markov master equation for decoherence detailed in Sect. 4.2.2. We shall review the basics of the interaction-picture approach in the following. We begin by considering a Hamiltonian of the form Hˆ = Hˆ0 + V.ˆ (A.1) Here Hˆ0 denotes the part of the Hamiltonian that describes the free (un- perturbed) evolution of a system S, whereas Vˆ is some added external per- turbation. In applications of the interaction-picture formalism, Vˆ is typically assumed to be weak in comparison with Hˆ0, and the idea is then to deter- mine the approximate dynamics of the system given this assumption. In the following, however, we shall proceed with exact calculations only and make no assumption about the relative strengths of the two components Hˆ0 and Vˆ . From standard quantum theory, we know that the expectation value of an operator observable Aˆ(t) is given by the trace rule [see (2.17)], & ' & ' ˆ ˆ Aˆ(t) =Tr Aˆ(t)ˆρ(t) =Tr Aˆ(t)e−iHtρˆ(0)eiHt . (A.2) For reasons that will immediately become obvious, let us rewrite this expres- sion as & ' ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ Aˆ(t) =Tr eiH0tAˆ(t)e−iH0t eiH0te−iHtρˆ(0)eiHte−iH0t . (A.3) ˆ In inserting the time-evolution operators e±iH0t at the beginning and the end of the expression in square brackets, we have made use of the fact that the trace is cyclic under permutations of the arguments, i.e., that Tr AˆBˆCˆ ··· =Tr BˆCˆ ···Aˆ , etc. -
Quantum Field Theory II
Quantum Field Theory II T. Nguyen PHY 391 Independent Study Term Paper Prof. S.G. Rajeev University of Rochester April 20, 2018 1 Introduction The purpose of this independent study is to familiarize ourselves with the fundamental concepts of quantum field theory. In this paper, I discuss how the theory incorporates the interactions between quantum systems. With the success of the free Klein-Gordon field theory, ultimately we want to introduce the field interactions into our picture. Any interaction will modify the Klein-Gordon equation and thus its Lagrange density. Consider, for example, when the field interacts with an external source J(x). The Klein-Gordon equation and its Lagrange density are µ 2 (@µ@ + m )φ(x) = J(x); 1 m2 L = @ φ∂µφ − φ2 + Jφ. 2 µ 2 In a relativistic quantum field theory, we want to describe the self-interaction of the field and the interaction with other dynamical fields. This paper is based on my lecture for the Kapitza Society. The second section will discuss the concept of symmetry and conservation. The third section will discuss the self-interacting φ4 theory. Lastly, in the fourth section, I will briefly introduce the interaction (Dirac) picture and solve for the time evolution operator. 2 Noether's Theorem 2.1 Symmetries and Conservation Laws In 1918, the mathematician Emmy Noether published what is now known as the first Noether's Theorem. The theorem informally states that for every continuous symmetry there exists a corresponding conservation law. For example, the conservation of energy is a result of a time symmetry, the conservation of linear momentum is a result of a plane symmetry, and the conservation of angular momentum is a result of a spherical symmetry. -
Path Integral and Asset Pricing
Path Integral and Asset Pricing Zura Kakushadze§†1 § Quantigicr Solutions LLC 1127 High Ridge Road #135, Stamford, CT 06905 2 † Free University of Tbilisi, Business School & School of Physics 240, David Agmashenebeli Alley, Tbilisi, 0159, Georgia (October 6, 2014; revised: February 20, 2015) Abstract We give a pragmatic/pedagogical discussion of using Euclidean path in- tegral in asset pricing. We then illustrate the path integral approach on short-rate models. By understanding the change of path integral measure in the Vasicek/Hull-White model, we can apply the same techniques to “less- tractable” models such as the Black-Karasinski model. We give explicit for- mulas for computing the bond pricing function in such models in the analog of quantum mechanical “semiclassical” approximation. We also outline how to apply perturbative quantum mechanical techniques beyond the “semiclas- sical” approximation, which are facilitated by Feynman diagrams. arXiv:1410.1611v4 [q-fin.MF] 10 Aug 2016 1 Zura Kakushadze, Ph.D., is the President of Quantigicr Solutions LLC, and a Full Professor at Free University of Tbilisi. Email: [email protected] 2 DISCLAIMER: This address is used by the corresponding author for no purpose other than to indicate his professional affiliation as is customary in publications. In particular, the contents of this paper are not intended as an investment, legal, tax or any other such advice, and in no way represent views of Quantigic Solutions LLC, the website www.quantigic.com or any of their other affiliates. 1 Introduction In his seminal paper on path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, Feynman (1948) humbly states: “The formulation is mathematically equivalent to the more usual formulations. -
Critical Notice: the Quantum Revolution in Philosophy (Richard Healey; Oxford University Press, 2017)
Critical notice: The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy (Richard Healey; Oxford University Press, 2017) DAVID WALLACE Richard Healey’s The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy is a terrific book, and yet I disagree with nearly all its main substantive conclusions. The purpose of this review is to say why the book is well worth your time if you have any interest in the interpretation of quantum theory or in the general philosophy of science, and yet why in the end I think Healey’s ambitious project fails to achieve its full goals. The quantum measurement problem is the central problem in philosophy of quantum mechanics, and arguably the most important issue in philosophy of physics more generally; not coincidentally, it has seen some of the field’s best work, and some of its most effective engagement with physics. Yet the debate in the field largely now appears deadlocked: the last few years have seen developments in our understanding of many of the proposed solutions, but not much movement in the overall dialectic. This is perhaps clearest with a little distance: metaphysicians who need to refer to quantum mechanics increasingly tend to talk of “the three main interpretations” (they mean: de Broglie and Bohm’s hidden variable theory; Ghirardi, Rimini and Weber’s (‘GRW’) dynamical-collapse theory; Everett’s many- universes theory) and couch their discussions so as to be, as much as possible, equally valid for any of those three. It is not infrequent for philosophers of physics to use the familiar framework of underdetermination of theory by evidence to discuss the measurement problem. -
Interaction Representation
Interaction Representation So far we have discussed two ways of handling time dependence. The most familiar is the Schr¨odingerrepresentation, where operators are constant, and states move in time. The Heisenberg representation does just the opposite; states are constant in time and operators move. The answer for any given physical quantity is of course independent of which is used. Here we discuss a third way of describing the time dependence, introduced by Dirac, known as the interaction representation, although it could equally well be called the Dirac representation. In this representation, both operators and states move in time. The interaction representation is particularly useful in problems involving time dependent external forces or potentials acting on a system. It also provides a route to the whole apparatus of quantum field theory and Feynman diagrams. This approach to field theory was pioneered by Dyson in the the 1950's. Here we will study the interaction representation in quantum mechanics, but develop the formalism in enough detail that the road to field theory can be followed. We consider an ordinary non-relativistic system where the Hamiltonian is broken up into two parts. It is almost always true that one of these two parts is going to be handled in perturbation theory, that is order by order. Writing our Hamiltonian we have H = H0 + V (1) Here H0 is the part of the Hamiltonian we have under control. It may not be particularly simple. For example it could be the full Hamiltonian of an atom or molecule. Neverthe- less, we assume we know all we need to know about the eigenstates of H0: The V term in H is the part we do not have control over. -
Advanced Quantum Theory AMATH473/673, PHYS454
Advanced Quantum Theory AMATH473/673, PHYS454 Achim Kempf Department of Applied Mathematics University of Waterloo Canada c Achim Kempf, September 2017 (Please do not copy: textbook in progress) 2 Contents 1 A brief history of quantum theory 9 1.1 The classical period . 9 1.2 Planck and the \Ultraviolet Catastrophe" . 9 1.3 Discovery of h ................................ 10 1.4 Mounting evidence for the fundamental importance of h . 11 1.5 The discovery of quantum theory . 11 1.6 Relativistic quantum mechanics . 13 1.7 Quantum field theory . 14 1.8 Beyond quantum field theory? . 16 1.9 Experiment and theory . 18 2 Classical mechanics in Hamiltonian form 21 2.1 Newton's laws for classical mechanics cannot be upgraded . 21 2.2 Levels of abstraction . 22 2.3 Classical mechanics in Hamiltonian formulation . 23 2.3.1 The energy function H contains all information . 23 2.3.2 The Poisson bracket . 25 2.3.3 The Hamilton equations . 27 2.3.4 Symmetries and Conservation laws . 29 2.3.5 A representation of the Poisson bracket . 31 2.4 Summary: The laws of classical mechanics . 32 2.5 Classical field theory . 33 3 Quantum mechanics in Hamiltonian form 35 3.1 Reconsidering the nature of observables . 36 3.2 The canonical commutation relations . 37 3.3 From the Hamiltonian to the equations of motion . 40 3.4 From the Hamiltonian to predictions of numbers . 44 3.4.1 Linear maps . 44 3.4.2 Choices of representation . 45 3.4.3 A matrix representation . 46 3 4 CONTENTS 3.4.4 Example: Solving the equations of motion for a free particle with matrix-valued functions . -
Superconducting Transmon Machines
Quantum Computing Hardware Platforms: Superconducting Transmon Machines • CSC591/ECE592 – Quantum Computing • Fall 2020 • Professor Patrick Dreher • Research Professor, Department of Computer Science • Chief Scientist, NC State IBM Q Hub 3 November 2020 Superconducting Transmon Quantum Computers 1 5 November 2020 Patrick Dreher Outline • Introduction – Digital versus Quantum Computation • Conceptual design for superconducting transmon QC hardware platforms • Construction of qubits with electronic circuits • Superconductivity • Josephson junction and nonlinear LC circuits • Transmon design with example IBM chip layout • Working with a superconducting transmon hardware platform • Quantum Mechanics of Two State Systems - Rabi oscillations • Performance characteristics of superconducting transmon hardware • Construct the basic CNOT gate • Entangled transmons and controlled gates • Appendices • References • Quantum mechanical solution of the 2 level system 3 November 2020 Superconducting Transmon Quantum Computers 2 5 November 2020 Patrick Dreher Digital Computation Hardware Platforms Based on a Base2 Mathematics • Design principle for a digital computer is built on base2 mathematics • Identify voltage changes in electrical circuits that map base2 math into a “zero” or “one” corresponding to an on/off state • Build electrical circuits from simple on/off states that apply these basic rules to construct digital computers 3 November 2020 Superconducting Transmon Quantum Computers 3 5 November 2020 Patrick Dreher From Previous Lectures It was