763312A QUANTUM MECHANICS I - solution set 8 - autumn 2012

1. Hermite Polynomials
Calculate the first three Hermite polynomials by using the generating function.
After that, calculate the third Hermite polynomial again by using the recurrence
relation.
Solution
This topic is discussed in the lecture notes section 11.1.3. For a general discussion on the topic, see e.g. Wikipedia articles Generating function and Hermite
polynomials.
The generating function for the Hermite polynomials is
e

s2 +2s

X
Hn () n
=
s .
n!
n=0

(1.1)

Expanding the left-hand side and combining equal powers of s yields

2

1 + 2s + (2 1)s + higher degree terms

X
Hn () n
s .
=
n!
n=0

(1.2)

Comparison of the coefficients yields

H0 ()

1,

(1.3)

H1 ()
H2 ()

=
=

2,
4 2 2.

(1.4)
(1.5)

Let us now calculate the third Hermite polynomial by using the recurrence
relation
Hn+1 () = 2Hn () 2nHn1 ().

(1.6)

Setting n = 1 and substituting from Eqs. (1.3) and (1.4) yields

H2 ()

2H1 () 2H0 ()

2 2 2

4 2 2.

(1.7)

We, of course, obtained the same result as by using the generating function.

2. Harmonic Oscillator
Calculate the expectation values of position and momentum for the harmonic
oscillator energy eigenstates.
Solution
The position expectation value
Z

n (x)xn (x) dx.

hn |x|n i =

(2.1)

The energy eigenfunction n (x) is either symmetric or antisymmetric because

the harmonic oscillator potential V (x) = 21 m 2 x2 is symmetric and one-dimensional bound states are nondegenerate (cf. lectures sections 3.3.1 and 3.3.4).
Consequently, the product n (x)n (x) is symmetric and the integrand in Eq.
(2.1) is antisymmetric. Thus the value of the integral is zero if the integral
converges. Since the integral indeed converges1 ,
hn |x|n i = 0.

(2.2)

The momentum expectation value

Z

hn |p|n i = i~

n (x)

dn (x)
dx.
dx

(2.3)

Differentiation changes the parity of a function (this can be shown by using the
definition of derivative). Consequently, if n (x) is symmetric (antisymmetric),
then n0 (x) is antisymmetric (symmetric). Thus the integrand in Eq. (2.3) is
antisymmetric. Consequently, the value of the integral is zero if the integral
converges. Since it indeed converges,
hn |p|n i = 0.

(2.4)

1 In the case of a finite potential well, a bound state wave function is exponentially decaying
outside the well. As one compares the harmonic oscillator potential to a well potential, one
sees that a harmonic oscillator wave function must vanish at least as quickly as a potential
well wave function.

3. Position-Momentum Uncertainty Product For 1D Harmonic Oscillator

Show that the uncertainty relation
1
xp = (n + )~
2
holds for the harmonic oscillator energy eigenstates.
Solution
The recurrence relation for the Hermite polynomials reads (cf. lecture notes p.
98)
Hn+1 () = 2Hn () 2nHn1 ().

(3.1)

In addition, they satisfy the identity

Hn0 () = 2nHn1 ().

(3.2)

By definition, the position and momentum uncertainties in a state |i are

p
x =
h|x2 |i h|x|i2 ,
p
h|p2 |i h|p|i2 ,
(3.3)
p =
respectively (cf. lecture notes p. 80). In the previous solution, we calculated
the expectation values of position and momentum in the harmonic oscillator
energy eigenstates. Thus we yet need to determine the expectation values of
their squares.
We could infer hn |x2 |n i and hn |p2 |n i directly from the virial theorem
(which is proved in the lecture notes section 11.1.5). However, here we calculate
them from their definitions. The expectation value of the square of position,
2

hn |x |n i

Nn

2 2 x2

x Hn (x) e

2
Nn
3

2
Nn
3

2
Nn
3

(Hn ()) e

dx

kx

k Eq. (3.1)

2
1
2
Hn+1 () + nHn1 () e
d
2


1
2
2
2
2
Hn+1 () + n Hn1 () + nHn+1 ()Hn1 () e
d. (3.4)
4

The values of the first two integrals in the last line are known (cf. lecture notes
p. 97). The third integral in the last line vanishes due to orthogonality. Substitution of these values yields
hn |x2 |n i

=
=
=




Nn2 1 n+1
2
(n + 1)! + n2 2n1 (n 1)!
3

4


1 1
2 1 1

2(n
+
1)
+
n

2 4
2 n


1
1
n+
.
2
2

k Nn2 =

2n n!

(3.5)

Note that while the result is correct also for the ground state, the calculation,
however, is not completely rigorous for it.
The expectation value of the square of momentum,
hn |p2 |n i

i
2 2
d2 h

Hn (x)e x /2 dx
kx
2
dx

Z
i
2
2
d2 h
2 2
Hn ()e /2 2 Hn ()e /2 d
~ Nn
d

Z

2 
0
00
2 2
Hn + 2 Hn d
k Eq. (3.2)
2Hn
Hn e Hn
~ Nn

~2 Nn2

=
=

~2 Nn2

~2 Nn2

Hn (x)e

Hn e

Hn e

2 2

x /2


4n2 Hn2 4nHn1 Hn + 2 Hn d


2 Hn (2n + 1)Hn d.

k Eq. (3.1)
(3.6)

The value of the first integral in the last line has already been calculated in Eqs.
(3.4) and (3.5). The value of the second integral in the last line is known (cf.
lecture notes p. 97). Substitution of these values yields
hn |p2 |n i

=
=
=




1
n+
+ (2n + 1) ~2 Nn2 2n n!
2


1
~2 2 n +
+ (2n + 1) ~2 2
2


1
~2 2 n +
.
2
~2 2

k Nn2 =

2n n!

(3.7)

Now we can calculate the position and momentum uncertainties. They are
r
1
1
x =
n+ ,

2
r
1
p = ~ n + .
(3.8)
2
Thus, for the harmonic oscillator energy eigenfunctions,


1
xp = n +
~.
2

(3.9)

4. Hermite Polynomials: Ratios of Coefficients

P2
Let us consider Hermite polynomials H5 () =
2k 2k+1 and H6 () =
k=0 a
P3
2k
4 : a
2 : a
0 and a6 : a4 : a2 : a0 .
k=0 a2k . Calculate the ratios a
Solution
On the lecture notes page 97, there are two recurrence formulas for the Hermite
polynomial coefficients. To be more precise, the first one is for the even polynomials whereas the second one is for the odd polynomials. As we set n = 5 and
employ the second one, we obtain
a4
a2

1
= a2 ,
5
4
= a0 .
3

(4.1)
(4.2)

Substituting Eq. (4.2) into Eq. (4.1), we obtain

a4

4
a0 .
15

(4.3)

Employing the two previous equations, we obtain

a4 : a2 : a0 =

4
4
: : 1.
15
3

(4.4)

As we set n = 6 and employ the first recurrence relation, we obtain

a6

a4

a2

a6

a4

2
a4
15
2
a2
3
6a0 .

(4.5)
(4.6)
(4.7)

It follows that
8
a0
15
4a0 .

(4.8)
(4.9)

Employing the three previous equations, we obtain

a6 : a4 : a2 : a0 =

8
: 4 : 6 : 1.
15

(4.10)

5. Recurrence Relation for the Harmonic Oscillator Energy

Eigenfunctions
Show that the harmonic oscillator energy eigenfunctions n (x) satisfy the recurrence relation
r
r
r
n+1
n
m
xn (x) =
n+1 (x) +
n1 (x), =
.
2
2
~
Using this recurrence relation, calculate 3 (x) assuming that you know 0 (x)
and 1 (x).
Solution
The harmonic oscillator energy eigenfunctions are (cf. lecture notes p. 99)
1

n (x) = Nn Hn (x)e 2

x2

n {0, 1, 2, }.

(5.1)

The recurrence relation for the Hermite polynomials is

Hn+1 () = 2Hn () 2nHn1 ().
As we employ these two results, we obtain
xn (x)

=
=
=

2 2

xNn Hn (x)e x /2


2 2
1
Nn
Hn+1 (x) + nHn1 (x) e x
2
2 2
2 2
nNn
Nn
Nn+1 Hn+1 (x)e x +
Nn1 Hn1 (x) e x
2Nn+1 |
{z
} Nn1 |
{z
}
=n+1 (x)

r
=

(5.2)

n+1
n+1 (x) +
2

n1 (x)

n
n1 (x).
2

(5.3)

Let us determine 3 (x) in terms of 1 (x) and 0 (x) by employing the recurrence relation (5.3). First we cast the recurrence relation into form
r
r


2
n
n+1 (x) =
xn (x)
n1 (x) .
(5.4)
n+1
2
Then we set n = 1, which yields
1
2 (x) = x1 (x) 0 (x).
2
Setting n = 2 and using the previous equation, we obtain
r 

2
3 (x) =
x2 (x) 1 (x)
3
r  


2
1
=
x x1 (x) 0 (x) 1 (x)
3
2
r


2 2 2
x
=
x 1 1 (x) 0 (x).
3
3
6

(5.5)

(5.6)