Advanced Quantum Mechanics WS 2022/2023

ADVANCED QUANTUM MECHANICS

Andreas Buchleitner, Edoardo Carnio, Giorgio Ciliberto, Christoph Dittel, Wei Wei, Lucas Weitzel
Sheet 6 (Due: 7 December 2022)

16. Photoionization of the ground state of hydrogen

The electron in the hydrogen atom is perturbed by a classical electromagnetic field. For weak enough field
intensity, and in the Coulomb gauge, the perturbation is given by
e
V (t) = A(r , t) · p, (16.1)
m
in terms of the vector potential A(r , t). We choose the field to be a monochromatic wave,

A(r , t) = ϵ2Acos(k · r − ωt), |k| = ω/c, (16.2)

where ϵ is a unit vector indicating the polarization direction. As required by Maxwell’s equations, ϵ and k
are orthogonal. The interaction with the field will induce a non-zero probability for the electron to make a
transition from its initial state |ϕi 〉 with energy Ei to a final state in the continuum, |ϕ f 〉 with energy E f .
(a) Show that in the regime where Fermi’s golden rule is applicable, the ionization rate Γ is given by
‹2 
2π

eA  〈ϕ |e ik·r ϵ · p|ϕ 〉 2 ρ(E = E + }

Γ= f i f i hω), (16.3)
h
} m

where ρ(E) is the density of states in the continuum.

Hint: Expand trigonometric functions in exponentials and ponder which term, between emission and
absorption, contributes to the transition we are studying.
q
(b) If the initial state is the ground state of hydrogen ϕi (r ) = e−r/a0 / πa03 , with a0 the Bohr radius, and
the final state is a plane wave (cf. Ex. 13) with wave vector k f , calculate the matrix element required
to obtain Γ .
Hint: Note that since ϵ · k = 0, it is possible to commute the terms e ik·r and ϵ · p. Remember the
technique to solve integrals with the exponential function:
∞ ∞
∂
Z Z
−αr
re dr = − e−αr d r = . . . . (16.4)
0 ∂α 0

(c) Take ϵ = e x and k parallel to e z , and using the density of states calculated in Ex. 13, derive the emission
rate of electrons in a given direction Ω f = (θ , ϕ), determined by the final wave vector k f . Simplify
the result using the two following approximations:
(i) The final energy of the electron is much larger than the initial: E f ≫ |Ei | ⇒ k2f a02 ≫ 1, and
p
hω ⇒ k f ≃ 2mω/}
Ef ≃ } h.
(ii) The final state does not require a relativistic treatment: E f ≪ mc 2 ⇒ k2f ≫ k2 .
Discuss the angular dependence of the ionization rate that results after these assumptions.

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Advanced Quantum Mechanics WS 2022/2023

17. Classical scattering by a Coulomb potential

A classical particle gets scattered by the potential

V (r) = K/r, for K > 0 (see diagram). The origin
of the potential is at the point O. The particle ap-
proaches the target from r = ∞ with an impact
parameter b and energy E = mv∞ 2
/2. The trajec-
tory is specified by the coordinates r and φ(r). At φm φm θ
the point of minimum distance to the target, these r
b φ(r) rm
are respectively rm and φm . As r → ∞ again, the O
asymptotic trajectory gets deflected with an angle θ .
(a) Using the conservation of angular momentum L = mr × v and energy

1 2 1 2 2
E= mṙ + mr φ̇ + V (r), (17.1)
2 2
show that the scattering angle can be related to the impact parameter in the following way,
∞
b/r 2
Z
θ =π−2 Æ d r, (17.2)
rm 1 − (b/r)2 − V (r)/E

where rm = K/2E + [(K/2E)2 + b2 ]1/2 .

Hint: Remind yourself how to write r and ṙ in polar coordinates. Notice that you can write the angle
φm spanned by the position vector r as
Z φm Z ∞
dφ
φm = dφ = d r. (17.3)
0 rm dr

(b) Integration of Eq. (17.2) yields b = (K/2E) cot (θ /2). Use this relation to calculate the differential
cross section (dσ/dΩ) for the Coulomb potential. Show that if V (r) is due to the interaction between
two charges Z e and e, the Rutherford differential cross section is obtained.
Hint: Recall the definition of the differential cross section: dσ is the differential surface perpendicular
to the direction of indicence that is crossed by the particles that are scattered into the solid angle dΩ,
around the direction given by θ .

18. Lippmann-Schwinger equation and Born series for the delta potential

Consider the one dimension potential V (x) = (} h2 /ma0 )δ(x), where δ(x) denotes the Dirac delta and a0
has dimensions of length and controls the strength of the potential. Using the propagator (Green’s function)
for the free particle in one dimension,

i ik|x−x ′ |
G(x, x ′ ) = − e , (18.1)
2k

calculate the stationary scattering states, ψk (x) = e ikx + f k e ik|x| , by solving exactly the Lippmann-Schwinger
(integral) equation, Z∞
2m
ik x
ψk (x) = e + 2 d x ′ G(x, x ′ ) V (x ′ ) ψk (x ′ ). (18.2)
}h −∞

By considering the cases x < 0 and x > 0 of the scattering state, identify the reflection and transmission
coefficients of the potential, and give the corresponding reflection and transmission probabilities.

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