Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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
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
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
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
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.
↑ 𝑆𝑧 ↑ = +ℏ/2 ℏ
Or 𝑆𝑧 ȁ↑ۧ = + ȁ↑ۧ
2
↓ 𝑆𝑧 ↓ = −ℏ/2
88
Measurements
A measurement
ȁ𝜓 ۧ ȁ𝑛 ۧ 𝑃𝑛 = 𝑐𝑛 2
9
Measurements
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 ′ ۧ
11
Uncertainty principle
In general, operators do not commute with each other
መ 𝐵 = 𝑖 𝐶መ
𝐴,
where 2
Δ𝐴 = 𝐴መ 2 − 𝐴መ
is the standard deviation of A
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.
1414
Time-independent perturbation
Perturbation theory:
1515
Time-independent perturbation
➢ Singularity;
➢ Eigenkets in the D fold degenerate subspace
(a good one?)
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
1919
Angular momentum (AM)
Motion related: orbital AM, rotational AM (in molecules)
or/and intrinsic: electron spin, nuclear spin
Electron: orbital AM +
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:
Total AM:
𝐿2 ≡ 𝐿2𝑥 + 𝐿2𝑦 + 𝐿2𝑧
𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑥 = 0 𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑦 = 0 𝐿2 , 𝐿𝑧 = 0
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
𝜆 = ℏ2 𝑙(ҧ 𝑙 ҧ − 1)
Therefore:
𝑙 ҧ = −𝑙
2424
Angular momentum
𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐌 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝑳 to a 2𝑙 + 1 × 2𝑙 + 1 matrix
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
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 ۧ
2727
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs: Two options for the eigenkets:
Option A:
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients
2929
Angular momentum
Addition of two AMs:
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
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
Wigner D-matrix
3232
Angular momentum
Spherical tensor is useful for evaluating:
𝑛𝑗𝑚 𝑂 𝑛′𝑗′𝑚′
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 𝑇𝑞𝑘 𝑛′ 𝑗 ′ 𝑚′ =
𝑗 𝑘 𝑗′
−1 𝑗−𝑚
𝑛𝑗 ȁ𝑇 𝑘 ȁ 𝑛′ 𝑗 ′
−𝑚 𝑞 𝑚′
3434
Angular momentum
Possible transitions and relative transition strength
𝑛𝑗𝑚 𝑑መ 𝑛′𝑗′𝑚′
𝜟𝒍 = ±𝟏 𝜟𝑺 = 𝟎
𝑛𝑙𝑚 𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜑 = −1 𝑙 𝜓𝑛𝑙𝑚 𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜑
𝑃𝜓
3535
Angular momentum
Possible transitions and relative transition strength
J’ = 2
mJ’ = +1
𝑞 = +1 0 −1
|n s> J = 0 mJ = 0
3636