You are on page 1of 36

PHY5052:Cold Atom Physics

(Advanced Atomic physics)

Review of Quantum Mechanics


2023.02.21
Reference materials
States
The most complete knowledge of the system is contained in the state
wavefunction ȁ𝜓ۧ. ȁ𝜓ۧ is an element of a Hilbert space ℋ.
|ψ〉 can always be spanned in a complete orthonormal basis states {|n〉}:

Complete: σ𝑛 𝑛ۧ‫ = 𝑛ۦ‬1

Orthonormal: ‫𝑛ۦ‬ȁ𝑚ۧ = 𝛿𝑛𝑚

ȁ𝜓ۧ = ෍ 𝑛ۧ‫ = ۧ𝜓 𝑛ۦ‬෍ 𝑐𝑛 ȁ𝑛ۧ with 𝑐𝑛 = ‫𝑛ۦ‬ȁ𝜓ۧ


𝑛 𝑛

𝑛ۧ‫ 𝑛ۦ‬is called the projection operator (measurement)

The probability of finding the system in one of the basis state |n〉 is

𝑃𝑛 = 𝑐𝑛 2

3
Superposition and interference
QM allows for superposition of states. For example, for two states:
1 2
ȁ𝜓1 〉 = ෍ 𝑐𝑛 ȁ𝑛〉 , and ȁ𝜓2 〉 = ෍ 𝑐𝑛 ȁ𝑛〉
𝑛 𝑛

Their superposition is
❘𝜓1 〉 + ❘𝜓2 〉
❘𝜓〉 =
2

the probability of being in basis state |n〉 is not in general given by the sum of
probabilities. Instead it is given by the

2
𝑛❘𝜓1 + 𝑛❘𝜓2 1 1 2
2 1 1 2
𝑃𝑛 = = 𝑐𝑛 + 𝑐𝑛 ≠ 𝑃𝑛 + 𝑃𝑛
2 2 2

This inequality occurs as a result of the interference term between the two
1 2
components of state vector, 𝑐𝑛 × 𝑐𝑛

4
Operators and observables

Observables in QM are represented as Hermitian operators. An operator 𝑂෠ is


Hermitian when for any two states in the Hilbert space have


𝜓1 ❘𝑂❘𝜓 2 =

𝜓2 ❘𝑂❘𝜓1

𝑂෠ = 𝑂෠ †
The eigenvalues of a Hermitian operator 𝑂෠ are real.

The expectation value of the observable 𝑂෠ when the system is in state ȁ𝜓ۧ is

𝑂෠ = 𝜓❘𝑂❘𝜓

When the operator 𝑂෠ is diagonal in the basis {|n〉}, we have

𝑂෠ ȁ𝑛〉 = 𝑂𝑛 ȁ𝑛〉 ⟹

𝑂෠ = 𝜓❘𝑂❘𝜓
෠ ෠
= ෍ 𝑛❘𝑂❘𝑛 𝑐𝑛∗ 𝑐𝑛 = ෍ 𝑂𝑛 𝑐𝑛 2

𝑛 𝑛 5
Operators and observables
Multiplication
Operator X and Y can be multiplied. Multiplication operations are in general
noncommutative:
𝑋𝑌 ≠ 𝑌𝑋

Multiplication operations are, however, associative

𝑋 𝑌𝑍 = 𝑋𝑌 𝑍 = 𝑋𝑌𝑍

6
Operators and observables
Example: spin 1/2 system

There are three spin operator 𝑆𝑥 , 𝑆𝑦 , 𝑆𝑧 , each can be written in a 2×2 matrix,
called the Pauli matrices. The eigenvalues of them are ±ℏ/2

The spin projection operators in 𝑆𝑧 representation (i.e., the quantization axis is


along z) are:
ℏ 0 1
ℏ ℏ ℏ 0 −𝑖
𝑆𝑥 = 𝜎𝑥 = 𝑆𝑦 = 𝜎𝑦 =
2 1 0
2
2 2 𝑖 0
ℏ ℏ 1 0
𝑆𝑧 = 𝜎𝑧 =
2 2 0 −1
The two eigenvalues of 𝑆𝑧 are ±ℏ/2, which correspond to the two eigenvectors:

1
ȁ𝑠𝑧 = 1/2ۧ = ȁ↑ۧ = 0

0
ȁ𝑠𝑧 = −1/2ۧ = ȁ↓ۧ = 1

77
Observables
Example: spin 1/2 system

These two vectors form a complete basis for describing the spin 1/2 particle.
Any spin states can be represented by the linear combination of them.

↑ۧ‫ ↑ۦ‬+ ↓ۧ‫ = ↓ۦ‬1


↑ ↓ =0
2 2
ȁ𝜓ۧ = 𝑎ȁ‫ ۧ↑ۦ‬+ 𝑏ȁ↓ۧ, with 𝑎 + 𝑏 = 1 for normalization

Also the observable 𝑆𝑧 has

↑ 𝑆𝑧 ↑ = +ℏ/2 ℏ
Or 𝑆𝑧 ȁ↑ۧ = + ȁ↑ۧ
2
↓ 𝑆𝑧 ↓ = −ℏ/2

88
Measurements

Dirac: “A measurement always causes the system to jump into an


eigenstate of the dynamical variable that is being measured”
ȁ𝜓ۧ = ෍ 𝑐𝑛 ȁ𝑛ۧ
𝑛

A measurement
ȁ𝜓 ۧ ȁ𝑛 ۧ 𝑃𝑛 = 𝑐𝑛 2

How about we do sequential measurements:


A measurement 2rd measurement
ȁ𝜓 ۧ ȁ𝑛 ۧ ȁ𝑛 ۧ

A measurement 2rd measurement


ȁ𝜓 ۧ ȁ𝑛 ۧ ȁ𝑚 ۧ ȁ𝑛ۧ = ෍ 𝑎𝑚 ȁ𝑚ۧ
another observable
𝑚
2
𝑃𝑚 = 𝑎𝑚

9
Measurements

Example: spin-1/2 system again


Stern-Gerlach experiment

10
Commutation
The commutator , and the anticommutator ,
𝐴, 𝐵 ≡ 𝐴𝐵 − 𝐵𝐴

𝐴, 𝐵 ≡ 𝐴𝐵 + 𝐵𝐴

Commuting observables:
𝐴, 𝐵 = 0
Then A and B share the same eigenkets
𝐴ȁ𝑎′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ = 𝑎′ ȁ𝑎′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ

𝐵ȁ𝑎′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ = 𝑏 ′ ȁ𝑎′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ

A measurement B measurement A measurement


ȁ𝛼 ۧ ȁ𝑎 ′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ ȁ𝑎 ′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ ȁ𝑎 ′ , 𝑏 ′ ۧ

11
Uncertainty principle
In general, operators do not commute with each other
መ 𝐵෠ = 𝑖 𝐶መ
𝐴,

so for 𝐶መ ≠ 0, operators 𝐴መ and 𝐵෠ do not have the same eigenstates.


Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that for any two operators
𝐴መ and 𝐵,
෠ we have
1
ΔA · ΔB ⩾ መ 𝐵෠
𝐴,
2

where 2
Δ𝐴 = 𝐴መ 2 − 𝐴መ
is the standard deviation of A

For instance, for position and momentum operators x and 𝑝Ƹ


𝑥, 𝑝Ƹ = 𝑖ℏ, so

Δ𝑥Δ𝑝 ⩾
2 1212
Time evolution: Schrodinger picture
In this picture: the dynamics of the system is described by the Schrӧdinger
equation. The state vector describing the state of the system evolves in time,
while the operators describing the observables are stationary.
The state vector |ψ〉 evolves in time according to the Schrodinger's equation:
𝑑
෡𝜓 𝑡 ۧ
𝑖ℏ ȁ𝜓 𝑡 ۧ = 𝐻ȁ
𝑑𝑡
Stationary solutions of Schrodinger' s equation are given by |En〉, where

𝐻❘𝐸𝑛 〉 = 𝐸𝑛 ❘𝐸𝑛 〉
෡ time independent
𝐻:
Any state can be expanded in terms of {ȁ𝐸𝑛 ۧ}

In this basis the evolution of a state is simple:


ⅈ𝐸 𝑡
− 𝑛
❘𝜓 𝑡 〉 = ෍ 𝑒 ℏ 𝑐𝑛 ȁ𝐸𝑛 〉
𝑛

with❘𝜓 0 〉 = σ𝑛 𝑐𝑛 ❘𝐸𝑛 〉, or 𝑐𝑛 = 𝐸𝑛 𝜓 0
1313
Time evolution: Heisenberg picture
In the Heisenberg picture, the state vector describing the state of the system
does not evolve in time, instead the observables describing possible
measurements of the system at time t, depend on time.

The Heisenberg’s Equation of motion


𝑑 𝜕𝑂෠
ℏ 𝑂෠ 𝑡 = 𝑂෠ 𝑡 , 𝐻
෡ + 𝑖ℏ
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡

1414
Time-independent perturbation

W/O perturbation, 𝐻0 (time-independent) is the Hamiltonian, w/

Now the potential is perturbed slightly:

Perturbation theory:

1515
Time-independent perturbation

Non-degenerate case: each 𝜓𝑛0 has a different 𝐸𝑛0

Energy to 2nd order:


0 ȁ ′ȁ 0ۧ
‫𝑚𝜓ۦ‬ 2
𝐻 𝜓𝑛
𝐸𝑛 = 𝐸𝑛0 + ‫𝑛𝜓ۦ‬0 ȁ𝐻′ ȁ𝜓𝑛0 ۧ + ෍
𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐸𝑚
0
𝑚≠𝑛
WF evaluate to 1st order:
0 ȁ𝐻 ′ ȁ𝜓 0 ۧ
‫𝑚𝜓ۦ‬ 𝑛
𝜓𝑛 = 𝜓𝑛0 + ෍ 0
𝜓𝑚
𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐸𝑚
0
𝑚≠𝑛

Normally the energy correction is rather accurate,


the WFs are quite poor
1616
Time-independent perturbation
Degenerate case: several 𝜓𝑛0 may have the same 𝐸𝑛0 , the non
degenerate correction:
0 ȁ𝐻 ′ ȁ𝜓 0 ۧ
‫𝑚𝜓ۦ‬ 2 0 ȁ𝐻 ′ ȁ𝜓 0 ۧ
‫𝑚𝜓ۦ‬
𝑛 𝑛
𝐸𝑛2 = ෍ 𝜓𝑛1 = ෍ 0
𝜓𝑚
𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐸𝑚 0 𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐸𝑚
0
𝑚≠𝑛 𝑚≠𝑛

➢ Singularity;
➢ Eigenkets in the D fold degenerate subspace
(a good one?)

𝐻 ′ is diagonal in the subspace eigenkets

Diagonalizing 𝐻 ′ in the subspace


(𝐻0,𝐷 +𝐻𝐷′ )ȁ𝜓ۧ = 𝐸 ȁ𝜓ۧ

1717
Time-independent perturbation
Diagonalizing 𝐻 ′ in the subspace
(𝐻0,𝐷 +𝐻𝐷′ )ȁ𝜓ۧ = 𝐸 ȁ𝜓ۧ
Only need to diagonalize in the D*D matrix
form, instead of the whole Hilbert space
0
Take D=3 as an example: 𝜓𝑛,𝐷 ′ 0 0
𝐻𝑚𝑛 = ൻ𝜓𝑚,𝐷 ห𝐻′ ห𝜓𝑛,𝐷 ൿ
′ ′ ′
𝐸 − 𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐻11 𝐻12 𝐻13
′ ′ ′
𝐻21 𝐸 − 𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐻22 𝐻23 =0
′ ′ ′
𝐻31 𝐻32 𝐸 − 𝐸𝑛0 − 𝐻33

The solved eigenkets are the good eigen basis, and then
use the non-degenerate method to get the correction

1818
Perturbation theory in atomic physics
The energy structures:

𝑒2 1
𝛼≡ ≅
4𝜋𝜖0 ℏ𝑐 137.036
The fine-structure factor

In weak external field:

Time-dependent perturbation theory:

1919
Angular momentum (AM)
Motion related: orbital AM, rotational AM (in molecules)
or/and intrinsic: electron spin, nuclear spin
Electron: orbital AM +

spin AM is intrinsic, spin-1/2, 𝑺

Nucleus: orbital AM?


Ԧ value depends on the numbers
nuclear spin is intrinsic, 𝐼,
of protons and neutrons

Molecule: Relative rotation of the nuclei gives rotational AM: rotational level

2020
Angular momentum (AM)
Orbital AM
𝑳=𝒓×𝒑 +
ℏ 𝜕 𝜕 ℏ 𝜕 𝜕 ℏ 𝜕 𝜕
𝐿𝑥 = (𝑦 − 𝑧 ) 𝐿𝑦 = (𝑧 −𝑥 ) 𝐿𝑧 = (𝑥 −𝑦 )
𝑖 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑦 𝑖 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑧 𝑖 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥

Commutation relations:

𝐿𝑥 , 𝐿𝑦 = 𝑖ℏ𝐿𝑧 𝐿𝑦 , 𝐿𝑧 = 𝑖ℏ𝐿𝑥 𝐿𝑧 , 𝐿𝑥 = 𝑖ℏ𝐿𝑦

Total AM:
𝐿2 ≡ 𝐿2𝑥 + 𝐿2𝑦 + 𝐿2𝑧

𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑥 = 0 𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑦 = 0 𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑧 = 0

These are actually the universal relations of all the AM.

2121
Angular momentum (AM)
Eigen-values and -kets of the AMs:
𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑧 = 0
Simultaneous eigenstates of 𝐿2 and 𝐿𝑧 :

𝐿2 𝑓 = 𝜆 𝑓 and 𝐿𝑧 𝑓 = 𝑚 𝑓
“Ladder operator”:
𝐿± ≡ 𝐿𝑥 ± 𝑖𝐿𝑦 𝐿𝑧 , 𝐿± = ±ℏ𝐿±

Then:

𝐿2 𝐿± 𝑓 = 𝐿± 𝐿2 𝑓 = 𝐿± 𝜆 𝑓 = 𝜆 (𝐿± 𝑓)

𝐿𝑧 𝐿± 𝑓 = 𝐿𝑧 𝐿± − 𝐿± 𝐿𝑧 𝑓 + 𝐿± 𝐿𝑧 𝑓
= ℏ𝐿± 𝑓 + 𝐿± (𝑚 𝑓) = (𝑚 ± ℏ) (𝐿± 𝑓)

22
Angular momentum (AM)
Must be a top rung:
𝐿+ 𝑓𝑡 = 0

𝐿𝑧 𝑓𝑡 = ℏ 𝑙𝑓𝑡 𝐿2 𝑓𝑡 = 𝜆𝑓𝑡

𝐿2 𝑓𝑡 = 𝐿− 𝐿+ + 𝐿2𝑧 − ℏ𝐿𝑧 𝑓𝑡 = 0 + ℏ2 𝑙 2 + ℏ2 𝑙 𝑓𝑡 = ℏ2 𝑙(𝑙 + 1)𝑓𝑡


𝜆 = ℏ2 𝑙 (𝑙 + 1)
Similarly must be a bottom rung:
𝐿− 𝑓𝑏 = 0
ҧ𝑏
𝐿𝑧 𝑓𝑏 = ℏ 𝑙𝑓 𝐿2 𝑓𝑏 = 𝜆𝑓𝑏
𝐿2 𝑓𝑏 = 𝐿− 𝐿+ + 𝐿2𝑧 − ℏ𝐿𝑧 𝑓𝑏 = 0 + ℏ2 𝑙 2ҧ − ℏ2 𝑙 ҧ 𝑓𝑏 = ℏ2 𝑙(ҧ 𝑙 ҧ − 1)𝑓𝑏

𝜆 = ℏ2 𝑙(ҧ 𝑙 ҧ − 1)
Therefore:
𝑙 ҧ = −𝑙

𝒍 must be an integer or a half-integer


2323
Angular momentum (AM)

𝐿2 𝑓𝑙𝑚 = ℏ2 𝑙(𝑙 + 1)𝑓𝑙𝑚 𝐿𝑧 𝑓𝑙𝑚 = ℏ 𝑚


𝑚 = −𝑙, −𝑙 + 1, … , 𝑙 − 1, 𝑙

For a given value of l, there are 2l+1 different values of m

𝑙 must be an integer or a half-integer

General for all AMs

2424
Angular momentum
𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐌 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝑳 to a 2𝑙 + 1 × 2𝑙 + 1 matrix

Choose a basis, usually ȁ𝑚ۧ of 𝑳𝒛 with 𝑚 = −𝑙, −𝑙 + 1 … + 𝑙

Evaluate the matrix elements

𝑚1 𝑳𝒛 𝑚2 Non-zero diagonal elements

𝑚1 𝑳𝒙 𝑚2
Use the ladder operator 𝑳+ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑳−
𝑚1 𝑳𝒚 𝑚2
Zero diagonal elements

2525
Angular momentum
𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐌 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬
l=1
0 2/2 0 0 2/2𝑖 0
𝑳𝒙 = ℏ 2/2 0 2/2 𝑳𝒚 = ℏ − 2/2𝑖 0 2/2𝑖
0 2/2 0 0 − 2/2𝑖 0

1 0 0
𝑳𝒛 = ℏ 0 0 0
0 0 −1

𝑆 = 1/2, electron spin

ℏ 0 1 ℏ 0 1 ℏ 1 0
𝑆𝑥 = 𝑆𝑦 = 𝑆𝑧 =
2 1 0 2𝑖 −1 0 2 0 −1
ℏ ℏ ℏ
= 𝜎𝑥 = 𝜎𝑦 = 𝜎𝑧
2 2 2

2626
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs: ȁ𝑗ⅈ 𝑚ⅈ ۧ

Total J still satisfies:

Just like an independent AM

2727
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs: Two options for the eigenkets:
Option A:

𝐽𝑧 𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ = 𝐽1𝑧 + 𝐽2𝑧 𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ = 𝑚1 +𝑚2 ℏ ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ


But ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ is not the eigenkets of J2
Option B: eigenkets of J2

Which one is better?


2828
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs:

Clebsch-Gordan coefficients

CG coefficients and Wigner’s 3-j symbol:

2929
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs:

Wigner 3-j symbol:

𝑗1 𝑗2 𝑗3 𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 = 0
= 0 unless ቊ
𝑚1 𝑚2 𝑚3 𝑗1 − 𝑗2 ≤ 𝑗3 ≤ 𝑗1 + 𝑗2
See Sakurai for many of the properties of 3-j symbols
3-j symbol can be evaluated with build-in functions in Mathematica

CG coefficients are nonzero only:

𝑚 = 𝑚1 + 𝑚2 AM conservation

𝑗1 − 𝑗2 ≤ 𝑗 ≤ 𝑗1 + 𝑗2 Triangle rule

3030
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs:

Therefore:
𝑗 𝑗 𝑗
ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑗 𝑚ۧ = (−1)𝑗2 −𝑗1−𝑚 ෍ 2𝑗 + 1 𝑚 1 𝑚 2 −𝑚 ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ
1 2
𝑚1 ,𝑚2

𝑗 𝑗 𝑗
ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑚1 𝑚2 ۧ = ෍(−1)𝑗2 −𝑗1−𝑚 2𝑗 + 1 𝑚 1 𝑚 2 −𝑚 ȁ𝑗1 𝑗2 ; 𝑗 𝑚ۧ
1 2
𝑗,𝑚

3131
Angular momentum
Spherical tensor operators: See Sakurai for details of Spherical tensor
➢ Spherical coordinate
➢ Rotation: the same transformation as spherical harmonics

Cartesian:
reducible

l=0 l=1 l=2

Spherical: k is the rank


2k+1 components
𝑞 = −𝑘, −𝑘 + 1, ⋯ 𝑘
𝑘
(𝑘) (𝑘) (𝑘)
𝑇𝑞 → ෍ 𝐷𝑞′ 𝑞 𝑇𝑞′
𝑞′ =−𝑘

Wigner D-matrix
3232
Angular momentum
Spherical tensor is useful for evaluating:

𝑛𝑗𝑚 𝑂෠ 𝑛′𝑗′𝑚′

e.g. transition strength between two states

𝑂෠ = 𝑑መ = 𝑒 𝒓 electric dipole transition

Transition operator in spherical:


𝑥 + 𝑖𝑦 𝑟 4𝜋
𝑟+ = − =− 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑒 ⅈ𝜑 =𝑟 𝑌
2 2 3 1,1

𝑥 − 𝑖𝑦 𝑟 4𝜋 4𝜋
𝑟− = =+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑒 −ⅈ𝜑 =𝑟 𝑌 𝒓 → 𝒓1𝑞 = 𝑟 𝑌1,𝑞 (𝜃, 𝜑)
2 2 3 1,−1 3

4𝜋
𝑟0 = 𝑧 = 𝑟 𝑌
3 1,0

3333
Angular momentum
Wigner-Eckart theorem:

𝑛𝑗𝑚 𝑇෠𝑞𝑘 𝑛′ 𝑗 ′ 𝑚′ =

𝑗 𝑘 𝑗′
−1 𝑗−𝑚
𝑛𝑗 ȁ𝑇෠ 𝑘 ȁ 𝑛′ 𝑗 ′
−𝑚 𝑞 𝑚′

Depends on orientation and reduced matrix element


angular symmetry No m dependence
Constant for our typical problem
Easy to evaluate for obtaining:
(But can also be evaluated if
selection rules, relative
necessary)
transition strengths…

3434
Angular momentum
Possible transitions and relative transition strength

𝑛𝑗𝑚 𝑑መ 𝑛′𝑗′𝑚′

Evaluate the dipole operator 𝐽 1 𝐽′ Triangle rule and


𝑑መ = 𝑒𝑟Ԧ → 𝑒𝑟𝑞1 −𝑚𝐽 𝑞 𝑚𝐽′ AM conservation

𝜟𝑱 = 𝟎, ±𝟏 but not 0→0


𝜟𝒎𝑱 = 𝟎, ±𝟏

Also following the other selection rules:

𝜟𝒍 = ±𝟏 𝜟𝑺 = 𝟎
෠ 𝑛𝑙𝑚 𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜑 = −1 𝑙 𝜓𝑛𝑙𝑚 𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜑
𝑃𝜓

3535
Angular momentum
Possible transitions and relative transition strength

Evaluate the dipole operator 𝐽=0 1 𝐽′ Triangle rule and


𝑑መ = 𝑒𝑟Ԧ → 𝑒𝑟𝑞1 −𝑚𝐽 = 0 𝑞 𝑚𝐽′ AM conservation

J’ = 2
mJ’ = +1

|n p> J’ = 1 mJ’ = 0 Only 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑱′ = 𝟏

mJ’ = -1 The three q allow


J’ = 0
𝚫𝒎 = 𝟎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 ± 𝟏

𝑞 = +1 0 −1

 
|n s> J = 0 mJ = 0
3636

You might also like