Lecture 21: The Parity Operator

Phy851 Fall 2009

Parity inversion
Symmetry under parity inversion is known as mirror symmetry

& x# &' x# $ ! $ ! P :$ y! a $' y! $z! $' z! % " % "

Parity inversion cannot be generated by rotations

Formally, we say that f(x) is symmetric under parity inversion if f(-x) = f(x) We would say that f(x) is antisymmetric under parity inversion if f(-x)=-f(x) The universe is not symmetric under parity inversion (beta decay)
Unless there is mirror matter (and mirror photons) Would interact only weakly with matter via gravity

Parity Operator
Let us define the parity operator via:

" x = !x
Parity operator is Hermitian:

x # x! = x " x! = % ( x + x!) x! # x = x! " x = % ( x + x!)

$ $

! = !
Parity operator is its own inverse

"" x = " ! x = x
!2 = 1
Thus it must be Unitary as well

" = " " = " !1

" = " !1

Properties of the Parity operator

Parity acting to the left:

x" =( "x

)=

!x

= !x

x"= !x
What is the action of the parity operator on a generic quantum state?
Let:

!# = "!
x !# = x "! x !# = "x !

# "( x) = # (! x)
! #(" x) = ! ( x)
x" = ! x

Under parity inversion, we would say:

! "( x") = ! ( x)
Must be true for any physical transformation!

Eigenstates of Parity Operator

What are the eigenstates of parity?
What states have well-defined parity? Answer: even/odd states

Proof:
Let:

" ! =! ! " ! =! !
2

It follows that: 2

But !2=1, which gives:

! =!2 ! ! 2 =1

! = 1 ! = +1 x!+ = x +
!x + = x +
Any Even function!

" = !1 x" ! =! x !
!x ! =! x !
Any Odd function!

Parity acting on Momentum states

! p = " dx ! x x p = " dx ! x x p = " dx x ! x p
i ! px 1 !x p = e h = x !p 2"h

" p = # dx x x ! p

" p = !p

Commutator of X with !
First we can compute !X! :

x "X"! = # x X"! = #x # x " ! = "x x ! =" x X!

" X " = !X

! X ! = "X !
! X = "X ! ! X " X ! = "2 X !
So ! and X do not commute
This is the important result for calculations

Commutator of X with !
Next we can compute [x2,!]:

x " X 2 " ! = # x X 2" ! = x2 # x " ! = x2 x ! = x X2!

!X ! = X
2 2

!X ! = X ! !X = X ! !X 2 " X 2! = 0
So ! and X2 do commute!
2 2
This is the important result for calculations

Commutator with Hamiltonian

Same results must apply for P and P2, as the relation between ! and P is the same as between ! and X. Thus

& P2 # $' , !=0 % 2M "

If ! commutes with X2, then ! commutes with any even function of X

[!,V (X )]= 0
2 even
Let

P2 H= + Veven ( X ) 2M

Then

[!, H ]= 0

This means that simultaneous eigenstates of H and P exist

Consequences for a free particle

The Hamiltonian of a free particle is:

P2 H= 2M
Energy eigenstates are doublydegenerate:

h 2k 2 H k = 2M

h 2k 2 H !k = 2M

E ,1 := k

k=

2 ME h

E ,2 := k

k =!

2 ME h

Note that plane waves, |k", are eigenstates of momentum and energy, but NOT parity Note that P and ! do not commute, so But [H,!]=0, so eigenstates of energy and parity must exist

simultaneous eigenstates of momentum and parity cannot exist

1 ( E ,1 + E ,2 E ,+ := 2 1 ( E ,1 ! E ,2 E ,! := 2

) )

" E , + ( x) =
" E , + ( x) =

1 cos ! i sin !

( (

2 ME h

x x

) )

2 ME h

Consequences for the SHO

For the SHO we have:

P2 1 H= + M! 2 X 2 2M 2
Therefore [H,!]=0, so simultaneous eigenstates of Energy and Parity must exist The energy levels are not-degenerate, so there is no freedom to mix and match states Thus the only possibility is that each energy level must have definite parity The Hermite Polynomials have definite parity: Hn(-x)=(-1)n Hn(x)
So ground-state (n=0) is even

Thus we have:

First excited state (n=1) is odd

n

" n = (! 1) n

(n=2) is even Etc.