Chapter 29 Time evolution of system

Masatsugu Sei Suzuki

Department of Physics, SUNY at Binghamton
(Date: November 22, 2010)

Schrödinger picture
Heisenberg picture
Dirac picture

________________________________________________________________________
Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger (12 August 1887– 4 January 1961) was an
Austrian theoretical physicist who was one of the fathers of quantum mechanics, and is
famed for a number of important contributions to physics, especially the Schrödinger
equation, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933. In 1935, after
extensive correspondence with personal friend Albert Einstein, he proposed the
Schrödinger's cat thought experiment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Schr%C3%B6dinger

________________________________________________________________________
Werner Heisenberg (5 December 1901– 1 February 1976) was a German theoretical
physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known
for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory. In addition, he made important
contributions to nuclear physics, quantum field theory, and particle physics. Heisenberg,
along with Max Born and Pascual Jordan, set forth the matrix formulation of quantum
mechanics in 1925. Heisenberg was awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics for the
creation of quantum mechanics, and its application especially to the discovery of the
allotropic forms of hydrogen.

Time evolution of system 1 12/23/2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Heisenberg
________________________________________________________________________
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac (8 August 1902 – 20 October 1984) was a British
theoretical physicist. Dirac made fundamental contributions to the early development of
both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics. He held the Lucasian Chair of
Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and spent the last fourteen years of his life
at Florida State University. Among other discoveries, he formulated the Dirac equation,
which describes the behavior of fermions. This led to a prediction of the existence of
antimatter. Dirac shared the Nobel Prize in physics for 1933 with Erwin Schrödinger,
"for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Dirac

_______________________________________________________________________
29.1 Time evolution operator
We define the Unitary operator as

 (t )  Uˆ (t , t0 )  (t0 )

Time evolution of system 2 12/23/2010

  (t )   (t0 ) Uˆ  (t , t0 )

Normalization

 (t )  (t )   (t0 )  (t0 )  1

Then

 (t0 ) Uˆ  (t , t0 )Uˆ (t , t0 )  (t0 )   (t0 )  (t0 )

or

Uˆ  (t , t0 )Uˆ (t , t0 )  1̂ (Unitary operator)

t
t0 t1 t2

We note that

 (t2 )  Uˆ (t2 , t1 )  (t1 )  Uˆ (t2 , t1 )Uˆ (t1 , t0 )  (t0 )

This should be

Uˆ (t2 , t0 )  Uˆ (t2 , t1 )Uˆ (t1 , t0 )

29.2 Infinitesimal time-evolution operator

We consider the infinitesimal time evolution operator

 (t0  dt )  Uˆ (t0  dt , t0 )  (t0 )

with

lim Uˆ (t 0  dt , t 0 )  1̂
dt 0

We assert that all these requirements are satisfied by

Uˆ (t 0  dt , t 0 )  1̂  i
ˆ dt

Time evolution of system 3 12/23/2010

 
 is a frequency or inverse time.
The dimension of 

Uˆ  (t0  dt , t0 )Uˆ (t0  dt , t0 )  (1̂  i

ˆ dt )  (1̂  i
ˆ dt )
ˆ  dt )(1̂  i
 (1̂  i ˆ dt )
ˆ  
 1̂  i ( ˆ )dt
 1̂

or

ˆ 
 ˆ (Hermitian)

We assume that

ˆ  Ĥ



where Ĥ is a Hamiltonian.

29.3 Schrödinger equation

t
t0 t t+dt

 Hˆ
Uˆ (t  dt , t 0 )  (1  i dt )Uˆ (t , t 0 )


or

Hˆ
Uˆ (t  dt , t 0 )  Uˆ (t , t 0 )  i dtUˆ (t , t 0 )


Uˆ (t  dt , t 0 )  Uˆ (t , t 0 ) Hˆ
lim  i Uˆ (t , t 0 )
dt 0 dt 

or

Time evolution of system 4 12/23/2010

  ˆ Hˆ
U (t , t 0 )  i Uˆ (t , t 0 )
t 

or

 ˆ
i U (t , t 0 )  Hˆ Uˆ (t , t 0 )
t

This is the Schrödinger equation for the time-evolution operator.

 ˆ
i U (t , t 0 )  (t 0 )  Hˆ Uˆ (t , t 0 )  (t 0 )
t

or


i  (t )  Hˆ  (t )
t

29.4 Unitary operator

What is the form of Uˆ (t , t 0 ) when Ĥ is independent of t?

t
t0 Dt t

t  t0
t 
N

iHˆ t  t0 N iHˆ
lim [1̂  ( )]  exp[ (t  t0 )]
N   N 

or

iHˆ
Uˆ (t , t0 )  exp[ (t  t0 )]


29.5 Ehrenfest’s theorem

Schrödinger equation

Time evolution of system 5 12/23/2010

   i
i  (t )  Hˆ  (t ) or  (t )   Hˆ  (t )
t t 

Taking the Hermitian conjugate of both sides,


 i  (t )   (t ) Hˆ    (t ) Hˆ
t

or

 i
 (t )   (t ) Hˆ    (t ) Hˆ
t 

We now consider the time dependence of the average defined by  (t ) Aˆ  (t )

d  Aˆ 
 (t ) Aˆ (t )  (t )  (  (t ) ) Aˆ  (t )   (t )  (t )   (t ) Aˆ (  (t ) )
dt t t t
i Aˆ i
  (t ) Hˆ Aˆ  (t )   (t )  (t )   (t ) Aˆ ( )  (t )
 t 
i Aˆ
   (t ) [ Aˆ , Hˆ ]  (t )   (t )  (t )
 t

or

d i Aˆ
 (t ) Aˆ  (t )    (t ) [ Aˆ , Hˆ ] (t )   (t )  (t )
dt  t

29.6 Example Simple harmonics

We consider a particle in a stationary potential.

pˆ 2
Hˆ   V ( xˆ )
2m

So that we can write

d i
 (t ) xˆ  (t )    (t ) [ xˆ , Hˆ ]  (t )
dt 
i pˆ 2
   (t ) [ xˆ , ]  (t )
 2m
i pˆ
  i  (t ) ]  (t )
 m

Time evolution of system 6 12/23/2010

or

d pˆ
 (t ) xˆ  (t )   (t ) ] (t )
dt m

or

d 1
x  p
dt m

Similarly

d i
 (t ) pˆ  (t )    (t ) [ pˆ , Hˆ ]  (t )
dt 
i
   (t ) [ pˆ ,V ( xˆ )] (t )

i  
  (t ) V ( xˆ )] (t )
i xˆ
or

d 
 (t ) pˆ  (t )    (t ) V ( xˆ )]  (t )
dt xˆ

or

d dV
p 
dt dx

The equations

d 1
x  p ,
dt m

and

d dV
p 
dt dx

express the Ehrenfest’s theorem. These forms recall that of classical Hamiltonian-Jacobi
equations for a particle.

________________________________________________________________________
29.7 Example: Spin precession

Time evolution of system 7 12/23/2010

 We consider the motion of spin S (=1/2) in the presence of an external magnetic field
B along the z axis. The magnetic moment of spin is given by

2 B Sˆz

ˆz     B
ˆz .
 

Then the spin Hamiltonian (Zeeman energy) is described by

2 Sˆ
Hˆ   
ˆ z B  ( B z )B  B
ˆ zB
 

e
Since the Bohr magneton µB is given by B  ,
 2mc

eB  eB 
B B    0
 2mc 2 mc 2

or

eB
0  (angular frequency of the Larmor precession)
mc

Thus the Hamiltonian can be rewritten as

 ˆ
Hˆ   0z
 2

Thus the Schrödinger equation is obtained as

i i
 (t )  exp[ Hˆ t ]  (t  0)  exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  (t  0)
 2

Note that the time evolution operator coincides with the rotation operator

i
Rˆ z ( 0 t)  exp[  0 
ˆ z t]
2

We assume that

  i2  
 e cos( ) 
i i
 (t  0)    exp[ ˆ z ] exp[ ˆ y ]    i 2 
n
2 2  2  
 e sin( ) 
 2 

Time evolution of system 8 12/23/2010

 i
Rˆ z ( 0 t)  exp[  0 
ˆ z t]
2

The average

 i i
Sx t
  (t ) Sˆ x  (t )  n  exp[ 0ˆ z t ] x exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
2 2 2

 i i
Sy   (t ) Sˆ y  (t )  n  exp[ 0ˆ z t ] y exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
t 2 2 2

 i i
Sz t
  (t ) Sˆ z  (t )  n  exp[ 0ˆ z t ] z exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
2 2 2

Here we have

 it2 0  0 1  it2 0 
i i e 0   e 0 
exp[ 0ˆ z t ] x exp[ 0ˆ z t ]   it 0 
 
0   0 
it
2 2  0 
2  1
e 2 
 e   0
 0 eit 0 
   it 
e
0
0 

 it2 0  0  i  it2 0 
i i e 0   e 0 
exp[ 0ˆ z t ] y exp[ 0ˆ z t ]   it 0 
 
0   0 
it
2 2  0 
2  i
e 2 
 e   0
 0  ieit 0 
   it 
 ie
0
0 

i i 1 0 
exp[ 0ˆ z t ] z exp[ 0ˆ z t ]   
2 2  0  1

Thus we have


S x t  sin  cos(0t   )
2

 sin  [cos(0t ) cos   sin(0t ) cos  ]
2


Sy  sin  [sin(0t ) cos   cos(0t ) sin  ]
t 2

Time evolution of system 9 12/23/2010

 
Sz t
 cos 
2

At t = 0,


Sx 0
 sin  cos 
2


Sy  sin  sin 
0 2


Sz 0
 cos
2

Using this we have

Sx t
 S x 0 cos(0t )  S y sin(0t )
0

Sy  S x 0 sin(0t )  S y cos(0t )
t 0


Sz t
 Sz 0
 cos 
2

Sx t  i S y  e i 0 t ( S x 0
 i Sy )
t 0

 i i
Sx t
  (t ) Sˆ x  (t )  n  exp[ 0ˆ z t ]ˆ x exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
2 2 2

 n  ˆ x cos(0t )  ˆ y sin(0t )  n
2

where


Sx   ̂ x 
0
2n n

We also get

 i i
Sy   (t ) Sˆ y  (t )  n
 exp[ 0ˆ z t ]ˆ y exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
t 2 2 2

  ˆ x sin(0t )  ˆ y cos(0t ) 
2n n

Time evolution of system 10 12/23/2010

 
Sy   ̂ y 
0 2n n

and

Sz t
  (t ) Sˆ z  (t )
 i i
 n
 exp[ 0ˆ z t ]ˆ z exp[ 0ˆ z t ]  n
2 2 2

 n  ˆ z  n  S z 0
2

Then

Sx t
 S x 0 cos(0t )  S y sin(0t )
0

Sy  S x 0 sin(0t )  S y cos(0t )
t 0

and

Sz t
 Sz 0

Time evolution of system 11 12/23/2010

 z

________________________________________________________________________
29.8 Baker-Hausdorf lemma
 
In the commutation relations, [ Jˆ z , Jˆ x ]  iJˆ y , we put Jˆ z  ̂ z and Jˆ x  ̂ x
2 2
Then we have

  
[ ˆ z , ˆ x ]  i ˆ y or [ˆ z , ˆ x ]  2iˆ y .
2 2 2

Similarly, we have

[ˆ x ,ˆ y ]  2iˆ z , [ˆ y ,ˆ z ]  2iˆ x

We notice the following relations which can be derived from the Baker-Hausdorf
lemma:

x x2 x3
exp( Aˆ x) Bˆ exp( Aˆ x)  Bˆ  [ Aˆ , Bˆ ]  [ Aˆ ,[ Aˆ , Bˆ ]]  [ Aˆ ,[ Aˆ ,[ Aˆ , Bˆ ]]]  ...
1! 2! 3!

 
exp[i ˆ z ]ˆ x exp[i ˆ z ]  ˆ x cos  ˆ y sin 
2 2

Time evolution of system 12 12/23/2010

  ˆ ˆ  ˆ
exp[i z ]y exp[i  ]  ˆ x sin  
ˆ y cos 
2 2 z

((Proof))

We note that

i ˆ
x , A  ˆ z , and Bˆ  ̂ x .
2

[ Aˆ , Bˆ ]  [ˆ z ,ˆ x ]  2iˆ y

Then we have

x x2 x3
I  exp[ xˆ z ]ˆ x exp[ xˆ z ]  ˆ x  [ˆ z , ˆ x ]  [ˆ z , [ˆ z , ˆ x ]]  [ˆ z , [ˆ z , [ˆ z , ˆ x ]]]
1! 2! 3!

x4
 [ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,ˆ x ]]]]  .....
4!

1 i 1  i  1  i  1  i 
2 3 4

I  ˆ x  2iˆ y    [ˆ z ,2iˆ y ]    [ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,2iˆ y ]]    [ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,[ˆ z ,2iˆ y ]]]  .
1! 2 2!  2  3!  2  4!  2 

or

2 i 3 1 4
I  ˆ x  ˆ y  i 2
[ˆ y , ˆ z ] 
( 2 i )[ˆ z , [ ˆ y , ˆ z ]]  (2i )[ˆ z , [ˆ z , [ˆ y , ˆ z ]]].....
2 3! 23 4! 2 4
2 i 3 1 4
 ˆ x  ˆ y  i 2 2iˆ x  (  2 i )( 2 i )[ ˆ z , ˆ x ]  (2i )(2i )[ˆ z , [ˆ z , ˆ x ]]  ...
2 3! 23 4! 2 4

or

2 i 3 1 4
I  ˆ x  ˆ y  ˆ x  ( 2i )( 2i ) 2
ˆ y  (2i )(2i )(2i )(2i )ˆ x  ...
2 3! 23 4! 24
2 3 4
 ˆ x  ˆ y  ˆ x  ˆ y  ˆ x  ...
2 3! 4!
2 4 3
 ˆ x (1   ...)  ˆ y (1   ...)
2 4! 3!
 ˆ x cos  ˆ y cos

Time evolution of system 13 12/23/2010

______________________________________________________________________
29.10 Schrödinger picture

The Schrödinger equation

 (t )   s (t )

 s (t )  Uˆ (t , t0 )  s (t0 )

where Uˆ (t,t0 ) is the time evolution operator;

Uˆ  (t,t 0 )  Uˆ 1 (t,t0 ) .

In the Schrodinger picture, the average of the operator Âs in the state  s (t ) is defined
by

 s (t ) Aˆ s  s (t ) .

29.11 Heisenberg picture

The state vector, which is constant, is equal to

 H (t )   s (t0 ) .

From the definition

 H Aˆ H (t )  H   s Aˆ s (t )  s ,

or

Aˆ H (t)  Uˆ  (t,t 0 ) Aˆs (t)Uˆ (t,t0 ).

In general, Aˆ H (t) depends on time, even if Aˆ s (t) does not.

29.12 Heisenberg’s equation of motion

The Schrödinger equation can be described in the Schrödinger picture


i  s (t )  Hˆ s (t )  s (t )
t

or

Time evolution of system 14 12/23/2010

 d ˆ
i U (t , t0 )  s (t0 )  Hˆ s (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )  s (t0 )
dt

or

d ˆ
i U (t , t0 )  Hˆ s (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )
dt

or

d ˆ i
U(t,t0 )   Hˆ s (t)Uˆ (t,t 0 )
dt 

and

d ˆ i 
U (t,t0 )  Uˆ (t,t0 ) Hˆ s (t)
dt 

where Hˆ s (t)  Hˆ s (t) . Therefore

dAˆ H (t ) dUˆ  (t , t0 ) ˆ dUˆ (t , t0 ) ˆ  dAˆ (t )

 As (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )  Uˆ  (t , t0 ) Aˆ s (t )  U (t , t0 ) s Uˆ (t , t0 )
dt dt dt dt
i i dAˆ (t )
 Uˆ  (t , t0 ) Hˆ s (t ) Aˆ s (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )  Uˆ  (t , t0 ) Aˆ s (t ) Hˆ s (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )  Uˆ  (t , t0 ) s Uˆ (t , t0 )
  dt
i dAˆ (t )
 Uˆ  (t , t0 )[ Hˆ s (t ), Aˆ s (t )]Uˆ (t , t0 )  Uˆ  (t , t0 ) s Uˆ (t , t0 )
 dt
i dAˆ (t )
 [ Hˆ H (t ), Aˆ H (t )]  ( s ) H
 dt

where

Hˆ H (t )  Uˆ  (t , t0 ) Hˆ s (t )Uˆ (t , t0 )

Finally we obtain the Heisenberg’s equation of motion

d dAˆ (t)
i Aˆ H (t)  [ Aˆ H (t), Hˆ H (t)]  i( s ) H
 dt dt

29.13 Simple example

Hˆ s(t)  Hˆ , Aˆ s (t)  Aˆ

Time evolution of system 15 12/23/2010

t0 = 0

i
 Hˆ t
Uˆ  e 

i ˆ i ˆ
Ht  Ht
Aˆ H  Uˆ  Aˆ sUˆ  e  Aˆ s e 

Hˆ H  Hˆ s

Then we have the Heisenberg’s equation of motion:

d ˆ
i AH  [ Aˆ H , Hˆ H ]
dt

We get an analogy between the classical equations of motion in the Hamiltonian form
and the quantum equations of motion in the Heisenberg’s form. ÂH is called a constant
of the motion, when [ Aˆ , Hˆ ] =0 at all times.
H H

[ Aˆ H , Hˆ H ]  Uˆ  Aˆ SUˆUˆ  Hˆ SUˆ  Uˆ  Hˆ SUˆUˆ  Aˆ SUˆ

 Uˆ  [ Aˆ , Hˆ ]Uˆ
S S

Therefore [ Aˆ H , Hˆ H ] means [ Aˆ S , Hˆ S ]  0

29.14 Ehrenfest’s theorem: free particle

1
HS  pˆ S  V ( xˆS ) ,
2

2m

1
HH  pˆ  V( xˆ H ),
2

2m H

[ xˆ H , pˆ H ]  xˆ H pˆ H  pˆ H xˆ H
 Uˆ  xˆUˆUˆ  pˆ Uˆ  Uˆ  pˆ UˆUˆ  xˆUˆ
 Uˆ  [ xˆ , pˆ ]Uˆ  iUˆ Uˆ  i1̂

[ xˆ H , pˆ H ]  Uˆ  [ xˆ , pˆ 2 ]Uˆ
2

 2iUˆ  pˆ Uˆ
 2ipˆ H

Heisenberg’s equation for the free particles,

Time evolution of system 16 12/23/2010

 d 1 1  2
xˆ H  [ xˆ H , Hˆ H ]  [ xˆ H , pˆ H ]  pˆ H 
2 2
i i ipˆ H ,
dt 2m 2m pˆ H 2m

or

d 1
xˆ H  [ xˆ H , Hˆ H ]  pˆ H .
dt m

Similarly

d 
i pˆ H  [ pˆ H , Hˆ H ]  Uˆ  [ pˆ , Hˆ ]Uˆ  Uˆ  [ pˆ ,Vˆ ( xˆ )]Uˆ  (i) V ( xˆ H )
dt xˆ H

or

d V ( xˆ H )
pˆ H  ()
dt xˆ H

We consider a simple harmonics.

1
V ( xˆ H )  m 2 xˆ H
2

d
pˆ H   m 2 xˆ H
dt

Now consider the linear combination,

d i i
( xˆ H  pˆ H )  i ( xˆ H  pˆ H )
dt m m

i
( xˆ H  pˆ H )  Aˆ H e  it
m

or

d i i
( xˆ H  pˆ H )  i ( xˆ H  )
dt m m

i
( xˆ H  pˆ H )  Bˆ H eit
m

Time evolution of system 17 12/23/2010

where ÂH and B̂H are time-independent operators:

i
Aˆ H  xˆ H (0)  pˆ H (0)
m

i
Bˆ H  xˆ H (0)  pˆ H (0)
m

Note that xˆ H (0) and pˆ H (0) correspond to the operators in the Schrödinger picture. From
these equations, we get final results

1
xˆ H  xˆ H (0) cos t  pˆ H (0) sin t `
m

pˆ H  pˆ H (0) cos t  mxˆ H (0) sin t

These look to the same as the classical equation of motion. We see that x̂H and p̂ H
operators oscillate just like their classical analogue.

An advantage of the Heisenberg picture is therefore that it leads to equations which are
formally similar to those of classical mechanics.

((Note))

d2 dxˆ H ˆ pˆ H ˆ 1 m 2 2  2 2 
    
2
i ˆ
x H [ , H H ] [ , H H ] [ ˆ
p H , ˆ
x H ] [ ˆ
p H , ˆ
x H ] 2 xˆ H
dt 2 dt m m 2 2 2 i

or

d2
xˆ H   2 xˆH
dt 2

with the initial condition

d 1
xˆ H |t  0  pˆ H (0) , xˆ H |t  0  xˆ H (0)
dt m

The solution is

xˆ H  Cˆ1 cos(t )  Cˆ 2 sin(t )

Time evolution of system 18 12/23/2010

 xˆ H (0)  Cˆ1 ,

dxˆ H pˆ (0)
|t  0  [Cˆ1 sin(t )  Cˆ 2 cos n(t )]t  0  Cˆ 2  H
dt m

Thus we have

pˆ (0)
Cˆ 2  H .
m

and

pˆ H (0)
xˆ H  xˆ H (0) cos(t )  sin(t )
m
________________________________________________________________________
Paul Ehrenfest (January 18, 1880 – September 25, 1933) was an Austrian and Dutch
physicist and mathematician, who made major contributions to the field of statistical
mechanics and its relations with quantum mechanics, including the theory of phase
transition and the Ehrenfest theorem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ehrenfest

________________________________________________________________________
29.15 Analogy with classical mechanics
In the classical mechanics, dynamical variables vary with time according to the
Hamilton’s equations of motion,

dq j H
 ,
dt p j

where qj and pj are a set of canonical co-ordinate and momentum, and H is the
Hamiltonian expressed as a function of them,

H  H (q1 , q2 , q3 ,...., qn , p1 , p2 , p3 ,... pn )

Time evolution of system 19 12/23/2010

where n is the degree of freedom.

For a given variable A  v ( q1 , q 2 , q 3 ,...., q n , p1 , p 2 , p 3 ,... p n ) ,

dA  A dq j A dp j 
   
dt 
j  q j dt p j dt 
 A H A H 
   

j  q j p j p j q j 
 [ A, H ]classical

[ ]classical:a classical definition of a Poisson bracket.

29.16 Dirac picture (Interaction picture)

Hˆ  Hˆ 0  Vˆs (t)

where Hˆ 0 is independent of t.

i
 Hˆ 0t
 s (t )  e 
 I (t )

or

i ˆ
H 0t
 I (t )  e   s (t )

We assume that

 I (t ) Aˆ I (t )  I (t )   s (t ) Aˆ s  s (t )

For convenience, Aˆ s is independent of t.

or

i i ˆ
 Hˆ 0t H 0t
 s (t ) e 
Aˆ I (t )e   s (t )   s (t ) Aˆ s  s (t )

or

i i ˆ
 Hˆ 0t H 0t
e 
Aˆ I (t )e   Aˆ s

Time evolution of system 20 12/23/2010

or

i ˆ i ˆ
H 0t  H 0t
Aˆ I (t )  e  Aˆ s e 

or

i i i i
d i Hˆ 0 t  Hˆ 0 t Hˆ 0 t  Hˆ 0 t
i Aˆ I (t )  i [ Hˆ 0e  Aˆ s e   e  Aˆ s e  Hˆ 0 ]
dt 
 [ Aˆ I (t ), Hˆ 0 ]

Thus every operator behaves as if it would in the Heisenberg representation for a non-
interacting system.

  Hˆ 0 t
i
i  I (t )  i e   s (t )
t t

i ˆ i ˆ
H 0t H 0t
  Hˆ 0e   s (t )  e  i  s (t )
t

Since


i  s (t )  [ Hˆ 0  Vˆs (t )]  s (t )
t

  Hˆ 0 t
i i i
Hˆ 0 t Hˆ 0 t
i  I (t )  i e   s (t )   Hˆ 0e   s (t )  e  [ Hˆ 0  Vˆ (t )] s (t )
t t

or


i i
Hˆ 0t  Hˆ 0t
i  I (t )  e  Vˆ (t )e   I (t )  VˆI (t )  I (t )
t

or

i  I (t )  VˆI (t )  I (t )
t

where

i ˆ i ˆ
H 0t  H 0t
VˆI (t )   Vˆs (t )e  (Schrödinger-like)

Time evolution of system 21 12/23/2010

which is a Schrödinger equation with the total Hˆ replaced by VˆI .

We assume that

 I (t )  Uˆ I (t , t0 )  I (t0 )

satisfies the equation


i  I (t )  VˆI (t )  I (t )
t

Then we have the following relation.

 ˆ
i U I (t , t0 )  VˆI (t )Uˆ I (t , t0 )
t

with the initial condition

t
i
Uˆ I (t , t0 )  1   VˆI (t ' )Uˆ I (t ' , t0 )dt '
 t0

We can obtain an approximate solution to this equation [Dyson series].

t t'
i i
Uˆ I (t , t0 )  1   VˆI (t ' )[1   VˆI (t ' ' )Uˆ I (t", t0 )dt"]dt '
 t0  t0
t t t'
i i
 1  ( )  VˆI (t ' )dt '( ) 2  dt '  dt"VˆI (t ' )VˆI (t ' ' )  ...
 t0  t0 t0

29.17 Transition probability

Once Uˆ I (t,t 0 ) is given we have

 I (t )  Uˆ I (t , t0 )  I (t0 )

where

i i ˆ
 Hˆ 0 t H 0t
 s (t )  e 
 I (t ) , or  I (t )  e   s (t )

and

Time evolution of system 22 12/23/2010

  s (t )  Uˆ (t , t0 )  s (t0 )

i ˆ
H 0t
 I (t )  e  Uˆ s (t , t0 )  s (t0 )
i ˆ i
H 0t  Hˆ 0t0
e 
Uˆ s (t , t0 )e 
 I (t0 )

Then we have
i ˆ i
H 0t  Hˆ 0 t 0
Uˆ I (t,t 0 )  e 
 Uˆ s (t,t 0 )e 

Let us now look at the matrix element of Uˆ I (t,t 0 )

Hˆ 0 n  En n

i
( Ent  Emt0 )
n Uˆ I (t , t0 ) m  e  n Uˆ s (t , t0 ) m

2 2
n Uˆ I (t , t0 ) m  n Uˆ s (t , t0 ) m

((Remark))

When

[ Hˆ 0 , Aˆ ]  0 and [ Hˆ 0 , Bˆ ]  0

Aˆ a'  a' a' and Bˆ b'  b' b'

in general,

2 2
b' Uˆ I (t , t0 ) a '  b' Uˆ s (t , t0 ) a'

Because

Time evolution of system 23 12/23/2010

 i ˆ i
 Hˆ 0t0
b' Uˆ I (t , t0 ) a'   b' e 
H 0t
n n Uˆ s (t , t0 )e 
a'
n ,m
i
( Ent  Emt0 )
  e b' n n Uˆ s (t , t0 ) m m a '
n ,m

_______________________________________________________________________
29.18 Application of Schrödinger and Heisenberg pictures
Simple harmonics:

i
 Hˆ t
Uˆ  e 

The operator in the Heisenberg picture is defined by

i ˆ i ˆ
Ht  Ht
Aˆ H  Uˆ  Aˆ sUˆ  e  Aˆ s e 

where Ĥ is the Hamiltonian

1 2 m02 2
H
ˆ pˆ  xˆ
2m 2

Using the equation of Heisenberg picture, we obtain

1
xˆ H  xˆ cos t  pˆ sin t `
m

and

pˆ H  pˆ cos  t  m  xˆ sin  t

The matrix of x̂ and p̂ are given by

 0 1 0 0 0 
 
 1 0 2 0 0 
 
1  0 2 0 3 0 
xˆ 
2  0 0 3 0 4 
 
 0 0 0 4 0 
  
 

and

Time evolution of system 24 12/23/2010

  0 1 0 0 0 
 
 1 0 2 0 0 
 
m0  0  2 0 3 0 
pˆ 
2i  0 0  3 0 4 
 
 0 0 0  4 0 
  
 

((Discussion))

What are the expectation values  (t ) xˆ  (t ) and  (t ) pˆ  (t ) ?

 (t ) xˆ  (t )   (0) xˆ H  (0)
1
  (0) xˆ cos t  pˆ sin t  (0)
m
1
  (0) xˆ  (0) cos t   (0) pˆ  (0) sin t
m

 (t ) pˆ  (t )   (0) pˆ H  (0)
  (0) pˆ cos t  mxˆ sin t  (0)
  (0) pˆ  (0) cos t  m  (0) xˆ  (0) sin t

Suppose that
(1)  (0) 
1
0  21  2 
6

we can calculate the matrix elements  (0) xˆ  (0) and  (0) pˆ  (0) as follows.

 1 
 
0 1 0  6
 1 1  1  
2 
2 2 
 (0) xˆ  (0)    1 0
 6 6  2  6
0 
6
0 2 1 
 
 6
1 2
 (1  2 )
2 3

Time evolution of system 25 12/23/2010

  1 
 
0 1 0  6
 1 1  m0  
2 
2 2 
 (0) pˆ  (0)    1 0 0
 6 6  2 i  6
0 
6
0  2 1 
 
 6

(2)  ( 0) 
1
0  1 
2

 1 
 
 1 1  1  0 1  2 1
 (0) xˆ  (0)     
 2 2  2   1 0  1  2
 
 2

 1 
 
 1 1  1  0 1  2 
 (0) pˆ  (0)      0
 2 2  2    1 0  1 
 
 2

1
 (t ) xˆ  (t )  cos t
2

and

m
 (t ) pˆ  (t )   sin t
2

[[Another method (Schrödinger picture)]]

 (t )  e  iHt / 
ˆ 1
0  1 
2
 e 
1  iE 0 t / 
0  e  iE1t /  1 
2
1 e 0 
 iE t / 
   iE t /  
2  e 1 

 (t )  e 
1 iE 0 t /  iE1t / 

2

Time evolution of system 26 12/23/2010

 1  e  iE0 t /  
  10
2
 1  1
 (t ) xˆ  (t )    eiE0 t /  iE1t / 
 
 2 2  0  e  iE1t /  

 e 
 iE1t / 

1 1
2 2

eiE0 t /  iE1t / 
 iE 0 t / 


e 
1 1 1
 ( e i 0 t  e  i 0 t )  cos 0t
2 2 2

________________________________________________________________________

Time evolution of system 27 12/23/2010