PHYS852 Quantum Mechanics II, Fall 2008

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1:
Density Operator

P
1. [10pts] The trace of an operator is defined as T r{A} = m hm|A|mi, where {|mi} is an ar-
bitrary basis set. Introduce a second arbitrary basis set, and use it to prove that the trace is
independent of the choice of basis.

Let {|φn i} be an arbitrary second basis.

In the basis {|mi}, the trace is X
Tr{A} = hm|A|mi (1)
m

In basis {|φm i}, it is X

Tr{A} = hφn |A|φn i (2)
n

inserting the projector onto basis {|mi} then gives

X
Tr{A} = hφn |mihm|A|φn i (3)
m,n

re-ordering gives X
Tr{A} = hm|A|φn ihφn |mi (4)
m,n
P
recognizing that n |φn ihφn | = I leads to
X
Tr{A} = hm|A|mi (5)
m

2. [10pts] Prove the linearity of the trace operation by proving T r{aA+bB} = aT r{A}+bT r{B}.

X
Tr{aA + bB} = hm|(aA + bB)|mi
m
X X
= a hm|A|mi + b hm|B|mi
m m
= aTr{A} + bTr{B} (6)

1
3. [10pts] Prove the cyclic property of the trace by proving T r{ABC} = T r{BCA} = T r{CAB}.

X
Tr{ABC} = hm1 |ABC|m1 i
m1
X
= hm1 |A|m2 ihm2 |B|m3 ihm3 |C|m1 i
m1 ,m2 ,m3
X
= hm3 |C|m1 ihm1 |A|m2 ihm2 |B|m3 i = Tr{CAB}
m1 ,m2 ,m3
X
= hm2 |B|m3 ihm3 |C|m1 ihm1 |A|m2 i = Tr{BCA} (7)
m1 ,m2 ,m3

4. [10pts] Which of the following density matrices correspond to a pure state?

 2  √ !  
1 3
0 i 0 0
ρ1 = 7 ρ2 = 4 4 ρ3 =
0 57
√
−i 43 43 0 1
 1 2 2

! 9 9 9
√  
1 2  
2 4 4
ρ4 = √5
2
5
4
ρ5 = 
 9 9 9


5 5  
2 4 4
9 9 9

A pure state must satisfy ρmn ρnm = ρmm ρnn for every m and n.
10
ρ1 : 49
6= 0, so NO.
3 3
ρ2 : 16
= 16
, so YES.

ρ3 : 0 = 0, so YES
4 2
ρ4 : 25
6= 25
, so NO
4 4 4 4 16 16
ρ5 : m, n=1, 2 → 81
= 81
; m, n=1, 3 → 81
= 81
; and m, n=2, 3 → 81
= 81
, so YES.

2
5. [10 pts] Derive the equation of motion, dtd ρ(t) = − ~i [H,
P ρ(t)], using Schrödinger’s equation and
the most general form of the density operator, ρ = j Pj |ψj ihψj |.

d d X
ρ = Pj |ψj ihψj |
dt dt j
X  d 
d

= Pj |ψj i hψj | + |ψj i hψj |
j
dt dt
X  i i

= Pj − H|ψj ihψj | + |ψj ihψj |H
j
~ ~
!
i X i X
= − H Pj |ψj ihψj | + |ψj ihψj | H
~ j
~ j
i
= − [H, ρ] (8)
~