Formula Sheet

• Conservation of probability
∂ ∂
ρ(x, t) + J(x, t) = 0
∂t ∂x
 
2 ~ ∗ ∂ ∂ ∗
ρ(x, t) = |ψ(x, t)| ; J(x, t) = ψ ψ−ψ ψ
2im ∂x ∂x
• Variational principle:
R
dx ψ ∗ (x)Hψ(x)
Egs ≤ R ≡ hH iψ for all ψ(x)
dxψ ∗ (x)ψ(x)

• Spin-1/2 particle:
e~ 1
Stern-Gerlach : H = −µ · B , µ=g S = γS
2m ~
e~ S
µB = , µe = −2 µB ,
2me ~
   
1 0
In the basis |1i ≡ |z; +i = |+i = , |2i ≡ |z; −i = |−i =
0 1
     
~ 0 1 0 −i 1 0
Si = σi σx = ; σy = ; σz =
2 1 0 i 0 0 −1
 
[σi , σj ] = 2iǫijk σk → Si , Sj = i~ ǫijk Sk (ǫ123 = +1)

σi σj = δij I + iǫijk σk → (σ · a)(σ · b) = a · b I + iσ · (a × b)

eiMθ = 1 cos θ + i M sin θ , if M2 = 1

a
exp i a · σ = 1 cos a + iσ · sin a , a = |a|
a
exp(iθσ3 ) σ1 exp(−iθσ3 ) = σ1 cos(2θ) − σ2 sin(2θ)
exp(iθσ3 ) σ2 exp(−iθσ3 ) = σ2 cos(2θ) + σ1 sin(2θ) .
~
Sn = n · S = nx Sx + ny Sy + nz Sz = n·σ .
2
~
(nx , ny , nz ) = (sin θ cos φ, sin θ sin φ, cos θ) , Sn |n; ±i = ± |n; ±i
2
|n; +i = cos( 12 θ)|+i + sin( 12 θ) exp(iφ)|−i

|n; −i = − sin( 12 θ) exp(−iφ)|+i + cos( 12 θ)|−i

 ′ 
hn ; +|n; +i = cos( 1 γ) , γ is the angle between n and n′
2
~  iαS 
n
hSin = n , Rotation operator: Rα (n) ≡ exp −
2 ~

1
• Linear algebra
X
Matrix representation of T in the basis (v1 , . . . , vn ) : T vj = Tij vi
i
X
basis change: uk = Ajk vj , T ({u}) = A−1 T ({v})A
j

Schwarz: |hu, vi| ≤ |u| |v|

Adjoint: hu, T vi = hT † u, vi , (T † )† = T

• Bras and kets: For an operator Ω and a vector v, we write |Ωvi ≡ Ω|vi

Adjoint: hu|Ω† vi = hΩu|vi

|α1 v1 + α2 v2 i = α1 |v1 i + α2 |v2 i ←→ hα1 v1 + α2 v2 | = α1∗ hv1 | + α2∗ hv2 |

• Complete orthonormal basis |ii

X
hi|ji = δij , 1= |iihi|
i
X
Ωij = hi|Ω|ji ↔ Ω = Ωij |iihj |
i,j

hi|Ω† |ji = hj|Ω|ii∗

Ω hermitian: Ω† = Ω, U unitary: U † = U −1

• Matrix M is normal ([M, M † ] = 0) ←→ unitarily diagonalizable.

˜
• Position and momentum representations: ψ(x) = hx|ψi ; ψ(p) = hp|ψi ;
Z
x̂|xi = x|xi , hx|yi = δ(x − y) , 1 = dx |xihx| , x̂† = x̂
Z
hq|pi = δ(q − p) , 1 = dp |pihp| , p̂† = p̂
p̂|pi = p|pi ,
Z Z
1 ipx
1 ipx

hx|pi = √ exp ; ψ̃(p) = dxhp|xihx|ψi = √ dx exp − ψ (x)
2π~ ~ 2π~ ~
 ~ d n  d n ~
n n
hx|p̂ |ψi = ψ(x) ; hp|x̂ |ψi = i~ ψ̃(p) ; [p̂, f (x̂)] = f ′ (x̂)
i dx dp i
Z ∞
1
exp(ikx)dx = δ(k)
2π −∞

2
• Generalized uncertainty principle

∆A ≡ |(A − hAi1)Ψ (∆A)2 = hA2 i − hAi2
→
 1 
 
∆A ∆B ≥ hΨ| [A, B]|Ψi
2i

~
∆x ∆p ≥
2
∆ ~  1 x2 
∆x = √ and ∆p = √ for ψ ∼ exp −
2 2∆ 2 ∆2
Z +∞ r

π
dx exp −ax2 =
−∞ a

d i
Time independent operator Q : hQi = h [H, Q]i
dt ~

~ ∆Q
∆H∆t ≥ , ∆t ≡  dhQi 
2  
dt

• Commutator identities
[A, BC] = [A, B]C + B[A, C] ,
1 1
eA Be−A = eadA B = B + [A, B] + [A, [A, B]] + [A, [A, [A, B]]] + . . . ,
2 3!
eA Be−A = B + [A, B] , if [A, [A, B] ] = 0 ,
[ B , eA ] = [ B , A ]eA , if [A, [A, B] ] = 0
1 1
eA+B = eA eB e− 2 [A,B] = eB eA e 2 [A,B] , if [A, B] commutes with A and with B

• Harmonic Oscillator
 
1 2 1 2 2 1
Ĥ = p̂ + mω x̂ = ~ω N̂ + , N̂ = ↠â
2m 2 2
r   r  
mω ip̂ † mω ip̂
â = x̂ + , â = x̂ − ,
2~ mω 2~ mω
r r
~ † mω~ †
x̂ = (â + â ) , p̂ = i (â − â) ,
2mω 2

[x̂, p̂] = i~ , [â, ↠] = 1 , [N̂ , â ] = −â , ˆ , ↠] = ↠.

[N

1
|ni = √ (a† )n |0i
n!

1

Ĥ|ni = En |ni = ~ω n + |ni , N̂ |ni = n|ni , hm|ni = δmn
2

3
 √ √
↠|ni = n + 1|n + 1i , â|ni = n|n − 1i .
 mω 1/4  mω 
ψ0 (x) = hx|0i = exp − x2 .
π~ 2~

p̂
xH (t) = x̂ cos ωt + sin ωt
mω
pH (t) = p̂ cos ωt − mω x̂ sin ωt

• Coherent states and squeezed states

i
Tx0 ≡ e− ~ p̂ x0 , Tx0 |xi = |x + x0 i
i
|x̃0 i ≡ Tx0 |0i = e− ~ p̂x0 |0i ,
2
1 x0 x
√ 0 a† ~
|x̃0 i = e− 4 d2 e 2d |0i , hx|x̃0 i = ψ0 (x − x0 ) , d2 =
mω
† −α∗ a
  hx̂i hp̂i d
|αi ≡ D(α)|0i = eαa |0i , D(α) ≡ exp αa† − α∗ a , α= √ + i√ ∈C
2d 2~
† −α∗ a 1 2 †
|αi = eαa |0i = e− 2 |α| eα a |0i ,
â|αi = α|αi , |α, ti = e−iωt/2 |e−iωt αi
 γ 
|0γ i = S(γ)|0i , S(γ) = exp − (a† a† − aa) , γ ∈ R
2
1  1 
† †
|0γ i = √ exp − tanh γ a a |0i
cosh γ 2
S † (γ) aS(γ) = cosh γ a − sinh γ a† , D † (α) aD(α) = a + α
|α, γi ≡ D(α)S(γ)|0i

• Time evolution
|Ψ, ti = U(t, 0)|Ψ, 0i , U unitary

U(t, t) = 1 , U(t2 , t1 )U(t1 , t0 ) = U(t2 , t0 ) , U(t1 , t2 ) = U † (t2 , t1 )

d ˆ d ˆ
i~ |Ψ, ti = H(t)|Ψ, ti ↔ i~ U(t, t0 ) = H(t)U(t, t0 )
dt dt
h i i X i
ˆ
Time independent H: U(t, t0 ) = exp − Ĥ(t − t0 ) = e− ~ En (t−t0 ) |nihn|
~ n

hAi = hΨ, t|AS |Ψ, ti = hΨ, 0|AH (t)|Ψ, 0i → AH (t) = U † (t, 0)AS U(t, 0)

[AS , BS ] = CS → [AH (t) , BH (t) ] = CH (t)

d
i~ ÂH (t) = [AˆH (t), ĤH (t)] , for AS time-independent
dt

4
• Two state systems

H = h0 1 + h · σ = h0 1 + h n · σ , h = |h|
Eigenstates: |n; ±i , E± = h0 ± h .
H = −γ S · B → spin vector ~n precesses with Larmor frequency ω = −γB


NMR magnetic field B = B0 z + B1 cos ωt x − sin ωt y
i  i 
|Ψ(t)i = exp ωtŜz exp γBR · S t |Ψ(0)i
~ ~
ω

BR = B0 1 − z + B1 x
ω0
• Orbital angular momentum operators

a · b ≡ ai bi , (a × b)i ≡ ǫijk aj bk , a2 ≡ a · a .

ǫijk ǫipq = δjp δkq − δjq δkp , ǫijk ǫijq = 2δkq .

L̂i = ǫijk x̂j p̂k ⇐⇒ L = r × p = −p × r

Vector u under rotation: ˆ i , ûj ] = i~ ǫijk ûk

[L =⇒ L × u + u × L = 2i~ u
Scalar S under rotation: [ L̂i , S ] = 0
u, v vectors under rotations → u · v is a scalar, u × v is a vector

 
L̂i , L̂j = i~ ǫijk L̂k ⇐⇒ L × L = i~ L , [ L̂i , L2 ] = 0 .

 
∂2 22 ∂ 1 ∂2 ∂ 1 ∂2
∇ = 2+ + 2 + cot θ +
∂r r ∂r r ∂θ2 ∂θ sin2 θ ∂φ2
 
2 2 ∂2 ∂ 1 ∂2
L̂ = −~ + cot θ +
∂θ2 ∂θ sin2 θ ∂φ2
 
~ ∂ ±iφ ∂ ∂
L̂z = ; L̂± = ~e ± + i cot θ
i ∂φ ∂θ ∂φ
• Spherical Harmonics
Yℓ,m(θ, φ) ≡ hθ, φ|ℓ, mi
r r
1 3 3
Y0,0 (θ, φ) = √ ; Y1,±1 (θ, φ) = ∓ sin θ exp(±iφ) ; Y1,0 (θ, φ) = cos θ
4π 8π 4π

5
• Algebra of angular momentum operators J (orbital or spin, or sum)

[Ji , Jj ] = i~ ǫijk Jk ⇐⇒ J × J = i~ J ; [ J2 , Ji ] = 0

J2 |jmi = ~2 j(j + 1)|jmi ; Jz |jmi = ~m|jmi , m = −j, . . . , j .

1 1
J± = Jx ± iJy , (J± )† = J∓ Jx = (J+ + J− ) , Jy = (J+ − J− )
2 2i

[Jz , J± ] = ±~ J± , [J 2 , J± ] = 0 ; [J+ , J− ] = 2~ Jz

J2 = J+ J− + Jz2 − ~Jz = J− J+ + Jz2 + ~Jz

p
J± |jmi = ~ j(j + 1) − m(m ± 1) |j, m ± 1i
• Angular momentum in the two-dimensional oscillator
1 1
âL = √ (âx + iây ) , âR = √ (âx − iây ) , [âL , â†L ] = [âR , âR
†
]=1
2 2
J+ = ~ â†R âL , J− = ~ â†L âR , ˆR − N̂L )
Jz = 12 ~(N
|j, mi : j = 12 (NR + NL ) , m = 21 (NR − NL )

H = 0 ⊕ 21 ⊕ 1 ⊕ 32 ⊕ . . .
• Radial equation

 ~2 d 2 ~2 ℓ(ℓ + 1) 
− + V (r) + uνℓ (r) = Eνℓ uνℓ (r) (bound states)
2m dr 2 2mr 2

uνℓ (r) ∼ r ℓ+1 , as r → 0 .

• Hydrogen atom
e2 1 unℓ (r)
En = − , ψn,ℓ,m (~x) = Yℓ,m(θ, φ)
2a0 n2 r
n = 1, 2, . . . , ℓ = 0, 1, . . . , n − 1 , m = −ℓ, . . . , ℓ
~2 e2 1
a0 = 2
, α= ≃ , ~c ≃ 200 MeV–fm
me ~c 137
2r
u1,0 (r) = 3/2 exp(−r/a0 )
a0
 
2r r
u2,0 (r) = 1− exp(−r/2a0 )
(2a0 )3/2 2a0
1 1 r2
u2,1 (r) = √ exp(−r/2a0 )
3 (2a0 )3/2 a0

6
• Addition of Angular Momentum J = J1 + J2

Uncoupled basis : |j1 j2 ; m1 m2 i CSCO : {J21 , J22 , J1z , J2z }

Coupled basis : |j1 j2 ; jmi CSCO : {J21 , J22 , J2 , Jz }

j1 ⊗ j2 = (j1 + j2 ) ⊕ (j1 + j2 − 1) ⊕ . . . ⊕ |j1 − j2 |

X
|j1 j2 ; jmi = |j1 j2 ; m1 m2 i hj1 j2 ; m1 m2 |j1 j2 ; jmi
| {z }
m1 +m2 =m
Clebsch−Gordan coefficient

1
J1 · J2 = (J1+ J2− + J1− J2+ ) + J1z J2z
2

1 1
Combining two spin 1/2 : ⊗ = 1⊕0
2 2
| 1, 1 i = | ↑↑i ,
1 1
| 1, 0 i = √ (| ↑↓i + | ↓↑i) , |0, 0i = √ (| ↑↓i − | ↓↑i)
2 2
|1, −1i = | ↓↓i .

7
MIT OpenCourseWare
http://ocw.mit.edu

8.05 Quantum Physics II

Fall 2013

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