Department of Physics

IIT Kanpur, Semester II, 2022-23

PHY114: Quantum Physics Solutions # 6

Solution 6.1: Momentum-space wave-function

(a) The momentum-space wave function can be obtained from the position-space wave-function as
Z ∞
1
ψ0 (p) = √ ψ0 (x)e−ipx/~ dx
2π~ −∞
Z ∞ 1/4
x2
 
1 1
=√ exp − 2 e−ipx/~ dx
2π~ −∞ 2πσx2 4σx
 1/4 Z ∞  
1 1 1 2 ip
=√ exp − x − x e−ipx/~ dx
2π~ 2πσx2 −∞ 4σ 2
x ~
 2   1/2
−ip
 1/4
1 1  ~ 
  π 

=√ exp 

2π~ 2πσx 2 1   1 
4 2
 
4σx 4σx2

The above equation can be simplified to

1/4
p2
  
1
ψ0 (p) = exp − 2 ,
2πσp2 4σp
r
~mω
where σp = .
2
(b) The momentum probability density of the particle is given by:

p2
 
1
P (p) = ψ0 (p)∗ ψ0 (p) = q exp − 2 ,
2πσp2 2σp

Solution 6.2: Stationary-States of Simple harmonic oscillator

(a) For the simple harmonic oscillator potential, the first two stationary state solutions are:
 mω 1/4 h mω i  mω 1/4 r 2mω h mω i
2
ψ0 (x) = exp − x ; ψ1 (x) = x exp − x2
π~ 2~ π~ ~ 2~
Before calculating the expectation values, we evaluate the following integrals.
Z ∞ h mω i Z ∞ h mω i
x2 exp − x2 dx; x4 exp − x2 dx
−∞ ~ −∞ ~

1
Substituting α = mω/~, we have,
∞ Z ∞ 1/2
√
Z h mω i r 
2
 2
 π ~
I= exp − x dx = exp −αx dx = = π
−∞ ~ −∞ α mω
Z ∞ ∞  3/2 3/2
1√ 1√
h mω i Z 
dI 1 ~
x2 exp − x2 dx = x2 exp −αx2 dx = −
 
= π = π
−∞ ~ −∞ dα 2 α 2 mω
Z ∞ Z ∞ 5/2 5/2
d2 I 3√ 3√
h mω i   
1 ~
x4 exp − x2 dx = x4 exp −αx2 dx =
 
= π = π
−∞ ~ −∞ dα2 4 α 4 mω

Now calculate the relevant expectation values:

Case I : (ψ0 )
 mω 1/2 Z ∞h mω i
hxi = x exp − x2 dx = 0 (odd function)
π~ −∞ ~
 mω 1/2 Z ∞ h mω i  ∂
 h mω i
hpi = exp − x2 −i~ exp − x2 dx = 0 (odd function)
π~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~
 mω 1/2 Z ∞ h mω i  mω 1/2 1 √  ~ 3/2 ~
2 2 2
hx i = x exp − x dx = × π =
π~ −∞ ~ π~ 2 mω 2mω
 mω 1/2 Z ∞ h mω i  2
∂ h mω 2 i
hp2 i = exp − x2 −i~ exp − x dx
π~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~
 mω 1/2  mω  Z ∞ h mω i ∂  h mω i
= (−i~)2 − exp − x2 x exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~
 mω 1/2  mω  Z ∞ h mω i  mω  Z ∞ h mω i 
2 2 2
= (−i~) − exp − x dx − x exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ −∞ ~ ~ −∞ ~
" #
 mω 1/2  mω  √  ~ 1/2  mω  1 √  ~ 3/2
2
= (−i~) − π − − × π
π~ ~ mω ~ 2 mω
mω~
=
2
Case II : (ψ1 )
 mω 1/2  2mω  Z ∞ h mω i
hxi = x3 exp − x2 dx = 0 (odd function)
π~ ~ −∞ ~
 mω 1/2  2mω  Z ∞ h mω i  ∂
 h mω i
hpi = x exp − x2 −i~ x exp − x2 dx = 0 (odd function)
π~ ~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~
 mω 1/2  2mω  Z ∞ h mω i
hxi = x4 exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ −∞ ~
 mω 1/2  2mω  3 √  ~ 5/2 3 ~
= × π =
π~ ~ 4 mω 2 mω
 mω 1/2  2mω  Z ∞ h mω i  2
∂ h mω i
hp2 i = x exp − x2 −i~ x exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~
 mω 1/2  2mω  Z ∞ h mω i ∂ h h mω i  mω  h mω ii
2
= (−i~) x exp − x2 exp − x2 + x − exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ −∞ 2~ ∂x 2~ ~ 2~
 mω 1/2  2mω   Z ∞  mω 2 Z ∞ h mω i 
2 3mω 2
h mω i
2 4
= (−i~) − x exp − x dx + x exp − x2 dx
π~ ~ ~ −∞ ~ ~ −∞ ~
" 3/2  5/2 #
 mω 1/2  2mω  1√ mω 2 3 √
  
2 3mω ~ ~
= (−i~) − × π + × π
π~ ~ ~ 2 mω ~ 4 mω
3
= m~ω
2

2
 The uncertainty products can now be calculated as

Case I : (ψ0 )
p p p ~
∆x∆p = hx2 i − hxi2 hp2 i − hpi2 = hx2 ihp2 i =
2
Case II : (ψ1 )
p p p 3~
∆x∆p = hx2 i − hxi2 hp2 i − hpi2 = hx2 ihp2 i =
2
We see that ψ0 (x) is the minimum uncertainty wave-function.
(b)

Case I : (ψ0 )
1 2 1
hT i = hp i = ~ω
2m 4
1 2 2 1
hV i = mω hx i = ~ω
2 4
1
hEi = hT i + hV i = ~ω
2
Case II : (ψ1 )
1 2 3
hT i = hp i = ~ω
2m 4
1 2 2 3
hV i = mω hx i = ~ω
2 4
3
hEi = hT i + hV i = ~ω
2

Solution 6.3: Half Harmonic potential

The allowed solution ψnI (x) for the given potential in the region x > 0 is same as in the case of the ‘full’ harmonic
oscillator potential. The solution in the region x < 0 is given by ψnII (x) = 0. Now, compared to the ‘full’ harmonic
oscillator potential case, we have an additional boundary condition, which is ψnI (x) = ψnII (x) = 0 at x = 0. This
condition requires that the even solutions n = 0, 2, 4, . . . are not allowed. Thus we have that the allowed solution are:
(  2
 h
1/2 i
An exp − mωx 2~ Hn mω x if x > 0,
ψn (x) = ~
0 if x ≤ 0,

with the corresponding energy given by En = (n + 1/2)~ω, where n = 1, 3, 5 . . . .

Solution 6.4: Coupled-mass system

k k k
m m

x1 x2

(a) The potential energy of the system is given by

1 2 1 2 1 1 
kx1 + kx2 + k(x1 − x2 )2 = k x21 + x22 + (x1 − x2 )2

V (x1 , x2 ) =
2 2 2 2

3
(b) The time-independent Schrödinger equation for the system.

~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2
 
− − ψ(x1 , x2 ) + V (x1 , x2 )ψ(x1 , x2 ) = Eψ(x1 , x2 )
2m ∂x21 2m ∂x22

(c) The above equation involves two variables x1 and x2 . We now try to break this equation into two separate
Schrödinger equations by using the following coordinate transformation:
1 1
x+ = √ (x1 + x2 ); x− = √ (x1 − x2 )
2 2
Thus,
1 1
x1 = √ (x+ + x− ); x2 = √ (x+ − x− )
2 2
Performing the partial differentiations, we obtain

~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2
2 + 2 = 2 +
2m ∂x1 2m ∂x2 2m ∂x+ 2m ∂x2−
1  k
and V (x1 , x2 ) = k x21 + x22 + (x1 − x2 )2 → V (x+ , x− ) = (x2+ + 3x2− )

2 2
Thus the Schrödinger equation now becomes:

~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2
 
k
− − ψ(x+ , x− ) + (x2+ + 3x2− )ψ(x+ , x− ) = Eψ(x+ , x− )
2m ∂x2+ 2m ∂x2− 2

We use the method of separation of variables and substitute ψ(x+ , x− ) = ψ+ (x+ )ψ− (x− ). With this substitution,
the Schrödinger equation can be written as two separate equations:

~2 ∂ 2 k
− ψ+ (x+ ) + x2+ ψ+ (x+ ) = E+ ψ+ (x+ )
2m ∂x2+ 2
~2 ∂ 2 3k 2
− ψ− (x− ) + x ψ− (x− ) = E− ψ− (x− ),
2m ∂x2− 2 −

where E = E+ + rE− . The two equations represent two independent

r harmonic oscillators, one oscillating with
k 3k
frequency ω+ = and the other one with frequency ω− = .
m m
(d) Solving the above equations, we get the allowed energies E+ and E− for the two harmonics oscillators:
 
1
E+ = n + ~ω+ ; where n = 0, 1, 2 . . .
2
 
1
E− = m + ~ω− ; where m = 0, 1, 2 . . .
2
√
We take ω+ = ω and ω− = 3ω. Therefore, the allowed energy values that the system can have is given by:
√
   
1 1
Emn = n+ + 3 m+ ~ω
2 2

4
(e) The stationary-state solutions of the individual harmonics oscillators are given by:
h mω r 
+ 2
i mω+
ψ+ (x+ ) = An exp − x + Hn x+
2~ ~
h mω r 
− 2
i mω+
ψ− (x− ) = Am exp − x− Hm x−
2~ ~

The total stationary-state solution of the coupled-mass system can now be written in terms of x1 and x2 as:
√
s 
mω  (x1 + x2 )2 √  mω  (x1 − x2 )2
   r 
mω 3mω
ψ(x1 , x2 ) = Amn exp − − 3 Hn (x1 + x2 ) Hm  (x1 − x2 ) ,
2~ 2 2~ 2 2~ 2~

where
h mω i1/2
Amn = 31/8
π~2m+n m!n!

Solution 6.5: Two-dimensional infinite well

(a) We note that the potential for the system can be written as

V (x, y) = V (x) + V (y);

where V (x) = 0 if 0 < x < a
=∞ otherwise
and V (y) = 0 if 0 < y < a
=∞ otherwise

Thus we see that the potential of the system separates as a potential that depends only on x and a potential that
depends only on y. Therefore, we can use the separation of variable to solve this problem. With the potential in
the form above, the time-independent Schödinger equation can be written as

~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2
 
− − Ψ(x, y) + [V (x) + V (y)]Ψ(x, y) = EΨ(x, y)
2m ∂x2 2m ∂y 2

Since the potential has separated in x and y, we assume that the solution of the Schödinger equation is of the
form Ψ(x, y) = ψ(x)φ(y). Substituting this solution into the Schödinger equation, we get,

~2 ∂ 2 ~2 ∂ 2
 
− − ψ(x)φ(y) + [V (x) + V (y)]ψ(x)φ(y) = Eψ(x)φ(y)
2m ∂x2 2m ∂y 2

Dividing both sides with ψ( x)φ(y), we get

~2 1 ∂ 2 ψ(x) ~2 1 ∂ 2 φ(y) 1 1
− 2
− + V (x)ψ(x) + V (y)φ(y) = E
2m ψ(x) ∂x 2m φ(y) ∂y 2 ψ(x) φ(y)
~2 1 ∂ 2 ψ(x) ~2 1 ∂ 2 φ(y)
 
1 1
− + V (x)ψ(x) = E − − + V (y)φ(y)
2m ψ(x) ∂x2 ψ(x) 2m φ(y) ∂y 2 φ(y)

Since the left hand side depends only on x while the right hand side depends only on y, both the sides have to
be equal to a constant independent of x and y. Let’s call this constant Ex . Therefore, the above equation can be

5
 written as two separate equations:

~2 1 ∂ 2 ψ(x) 1
− 2
+ V (x)ψ(x) = Ex
2m ψ(x) ∂x ψ(x)
~2 1 ∂ 2 φ(y) 1
− 2
+ V (y)φ(y) = Ey
2m φ(y) ∂y φ(y)

where Ey = E − Ex . The above two equations represent two separate infinite potential-well problems. Therefore,
the solutions are:
r
2  nπx  n 2 π 2 ~2
ψ(x) = sin ; with Ex =
a a 2ma2
r
2  pπy  p 2 π 2 ~2
φ(y) = sin ; with Ey =
a a 2ma2
Therefore, the stationary state solution for the system is

2  nπx   pπy  (n2 + p2 )π 2 ~2

Ψn,p (x, y) = sin sin ; with Enp = Ex + Ey =
a a a 2ma2

π 2 ~2
(b) The energy for the ground state is obtained for n = p = 1, which is E11 =
ma2
5π 2 ~2
(c) The next higher value of energy that the system can take is E12 = E21 = . Corresponding to this energy,
2ma2
we have two separate wavefunctions:
 
2 2πx  πy 
Ψ1,2 (x, y) = sin sin ;
a a a
 
2  πx  2πy
Ψ2,1 (x, y) = sin sin ;
a a a