Lecture 5: Eigenvalue Equations and Operators The material in this lecture covers the following in Atkins. 11.

5 The informtion of a wavefunction (b) eigenvalues and eigenfunctions (c) operators Lecture on-line Eigenvalue Equations and Operators (PDF) Eigenevalue Equations and Operators (PowerPoint)

Handout for lecture 5 (PDF)

Tutorials on-line Reminder of the postulates of quantum mechanics The postulates of quantum mechanics (This is the writeup for Dry-lab-II)( This lecture has covered postulate 4) Basic concepts of importance for the understanding of the postulates Observables are Operators - Postulates of Quantum Mechanics Expectation Values - More Postulates Forming Operators Hermitian Operators Dirac Notation Use of Matricies Basic math background Differential Equations Operator Algebra Eigenvalue Equations Extensive account of Operators Basic math background Differential Equations Operator Algebra Eigenvalue Equations Extensive account of Operators

Audio-visuals on-line Postulates of Quantum mechanics (PDF) Postulates of Quantum mechanics (HTML) Postulates of quantum mechanics (PowerPoint ****) Slides from the text book (From the CD included in Atkins ,**)

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions The Schrdinger equation

h 2 2 ( x) + ( x)V ( x ) = E ( x) 2 2m x
can be rewritten as

h2 2 2m 2 + V ( x ) ( x ) = E( x) x
or :

h2 2 H( x ) = E( x); H = + V(x) 2 m x 2
where H is the quantum mechanical Hamiltonian

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions

The Schrdinger equation H = E is an example of an eigenfunction equation

(operator )(function ) = (cons tant )(samefunction )

=
(operator)(eigenfunction) = (eigenvalue)(eigenfunction)

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions

If for an operator A we have a function f(x) such that Af(x) = kf(x) (where k is a constant) than f(x) is said to be an Eigenfunction of A with the eigenvalue k
e.g. d exp[2x ] = 2 exp[2x ] dx thus exp[2x] is an eigenfunction to with eigenvalue 2 d dx

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

Af ( x ) = g ( x ) : general definition of operator
An operator is a rule that transforms a given function f into another function. We indicate an operator with a circumflex '^' also called 'hat'.

Operator A d dx 3 cos()

Function f f f x x

Af(x) f'(x) 3f cosx x

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

Rules for operators :

(A + B )f ( x ) = Af ( x ) + Bf ( x ) : Sum of operators (A B )f ( x ) = Af ( x ) Bf ( x ) : Dif. of operators

= d Example D dx + 3)( x 3 5) = D ( x 3 5) + 3( x 3 5) (D = 3x + (3x 15)

2 2 3

= 3x + 3x 15
3

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

ABf ( x ) = A[Bf ( x )] : product of operators
We first operate on f with the operator 'B' on the right of the operator product, and then take the resulting function (Bf) and operate on it with the operator A on the left of the operator product.

= d ;x = x Example D dx Dxf ( x ) = D ( xf ( x )) = f ( x ) + xf ' ( x ) xDf ( x ) = x (Df ( x )) = xf ' ( x )

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

Operators do not necessarily obey the commutative law :

AB BA 0 : AB BA = [A, B ] 0

ummutator :

Example : A = X 2; B =

d dx dx

2 2 df : BAf = d(x f ) = 2xf + x 2 df ABf = x

dx

dx

[A, B]f = 2xf

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

The square of an operator is defined as the product of the operator with itself : A 2 = AA
d Examples : D = dx DDf(x) = D(Df(x)) = Df' (x) = f "( x ) d2 D2 = dx 2

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

We shall be dealing with linear operators A,B,C, etc. where the follow rules apply

A{f (x ) + g (x )} = Af (x ) + Ag (x )
A{kf ( x )} = kAf ( x )

Some linear operators :

Multiplicative

d d2 x; x ; ; 2 dx dx
2

Differential

Some non - linear operators :

cos;

:[

For linear operators the following identities apply : (A + B)C = AC + BC; A(B + C) = AB + AC

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions

Let A be a linear operator * with the eigenfunction f and the eigenvalue k ** .
Demonstrate that cf also is an eigenfunction to with the same eigenvalue k if c is a constant A

A(cf ) = k (cf )

Must show

proof : A(cf ) = cAf

= ckf = k (cf )
Rearrangement of constant factors and QED f is an eigenfunction of A
** Af = kf

A is a Linear operator
* A(cf ) = cAf

c is a constant d f is a function e. g . A = dx

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

General Commutation Relations The following relations are readily shown [A , B ] = - [B ,A [A , A
^ ^ ^ n] ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

] n=1,2,3,.......

0
^ ^ ,k B ^ ^

A [kA , B ] = [ [A , B
^ ^ ^ +^ C ^ ^

] = k[A , B ]
^ ^

] = [ , B ] + [A , C ] A
^ ^ ^ ^

[A +B ,C ] = [ ,B ] + [A ,C ] A

Quantum mechanical principle.. Operators

^ ^^ ,B C ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[A

] = [A , B ]C + B [A , C ]
^ ^ ^ , C

[ A B , C ] = [A The operators A
^

^ ^

]B

+ A [B

^ , C

^ ^ , B , C

are differential or

multiplicative

operators

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions

A linear operator A will have a set of eigenfunctions fn ( x ) {n = 1,2,3..etc} and associated eigenvalues kn such that :

Afn ( x ) = k n fn ( x )
The set of eigenfunction {fn ( x ), n = 1..} is orthonormal : fi ( x )fj ( x )dx = ij
all space

= o if i j = 1 if i = j

Quantum mechanical principles..Eigenfunctions

Examples of operators and their eigenfunctions
Example Operator Eigenfunction Eigenvalue

1
2

3
4

x 2 x 2 x 2 x

exp[ikx ] exp[ikx ]

ik

k 2 k 2

coskx sinkx

What you should learn from this lecture 1. In an eigenvalue equation : = ; an operator works on a function to give the function back times a constant . The function is called an eigenfunction and the constant . 2. An operator ( A) is a rule that transforms a given function f into another function g as Af = g. We indicate an operator with a circumflex '^' also called 'hat'. 3. Oprators obays :

(A + B )f ( x ) = Af ( x ) + Bf ( x ) : Sum of operators (A B )f ( x ) = Af ( x ) Bf ( x ) : Dif. of operators ABf ( x ) = A[Bf ( x )] : product of operators

A(BC)f(x) = (AB)Cf(x) : associative law of multiplication AB BA = [A, B] 0; Operators do not commute, order of operators matters. [A, B] is call the commutator.

What you should learn from this lecture

4. Linear operators obey :

A{f (x ) + g (x )} = Af (x ) + Ag (x )
d d2 Some linear operators are : x ; x 2; ; dx dx 2
5. A linear operator A will have a set of eigenfunctions fn ( x ) {n = 1,2,3..etc} and associated eigenvalues kn such that : Afn ( x ) = k n fn ( x ) The set of eigenfunction {fn ( x ), n = 1..} is orthonormal :
* fi ( x )(fj ( x )) dx = ij all space

A{kf ( x )} = kAf ( x )