Approximation Methods I: Time-Independent Perturbation Theory !

205

(0)
eigenstate φn , while its unperturbed eigenstate is φn , is given by 1
! !2
2
! ! (1) ! !
HW
! PHYS
1 " 502 - 2018
!HrnSolutions
! !
|bn |2 = !1 − $2 ! .
! !
2
#
(0) (0)
r̸=n Er − En
! !
! !
Problem 1

13.3 A harmonic oscillator potential is perturbed by the term λbx2 . Calculate

the first-order and second-order corrections to the energy eigenvalues.
(1)
The first-order correction to energy eigenvalues is En = ⟨n|H (1) |n⟩
where H (1) = bx2 . We have the following relations for linear harmonic
oscillator:
√ √ %
a|n⟩ = n|n − 1⟩, a† |n⟩ = n + 1|n + 1⟩, x = !/(2mω) (a + a† ).
Now
En(1) = ⟨n|H (1) |n⟩
b!
= ⟨n|(a + a† )2 |n⟩
2mω
b!
= ⟨n|a2 + a†2 + aa† + a† a|n⟩ .
2mω
We note that
⟨n|am |n⟩ = 0 , ⟨n|a†m |n⟩ = 0 ,
⟨n|am a†l |n⟩ = 0 if m ̸
=l,
⟨n|a†m al |n⟩ = 0 if m ̸
=l.
(1)
Hence, in the expression for En , ⟨n|a2 |n⟩ = 0 and ⟨n|a†2 |n⟩ = 0. Then
b!
En(1) = ⟨n|aa† + a† a|n⟩
2mω
b! & √ √
⟨n|a n + 1|n⟩ + ⟨n|a† n|n − 1⟩
'
=
2mω
b!
= [⟨n|n + 1|n⟩ + ⟨n|n|n⟩]
2mω
b!
= (2n + 1)⟨n|n⟩
2mω ( )
b! 1
= n+ !ω .
mω 2 2

Next, consider
* ! (1) !2 +
" !Hnm !
En(2) = (0) (0)
.
m̸=n En − Em
 2

206 ! Solutions to the Exercises in Quantum Mechanics I: The Fundamentals

We obtain
(1) b!
⟨n|a2 + a†2 + aa† + a† a|m⟩
! "
Hnm =
2mω
b! √ √
⟨n|a m|m − 1⟩ + ⟨n|a† m + 1|m + 1⟩
!
=
2mω √ √
+⟨n|a m + 1|m + 1⟩ + ⟨n|a† m|m − 1⟩
"

b! ! √ √ √ √
= ⟨n| m m − 1|m − 2⟩ + ⟨n| m + 1 m + 2|m + 2⟩
2mω √ √ √ √ "
+⟨n| m + 1 m + 1|m⟩ + ⟨n| m m|m⟩
b! #$ $
= m(m − 1) δn,m−2 + (m + 1)(m + 2) δn,m+2
2mω %
+(m + 1)δn,m + mδn,m .

Then
' (1) '2
& 'Hnm '
En(2) = (0) (0)
m̸
=n (En − Em )
' (1) '2
& 'Hnm '
=
(n − m)!ω
m̸
=n

b 2 !2
( )
(n + 2)(n + 1) (n − 1)n
= +
22 m2 ω 2 !ω −2 2
b2
* +
1
= − 2 4
n+ !ω .
2m ω 2

13.4 Calculate the first and second-orders corrections to the energy eigenval-
ues of a linear harmonic oscillator with the cubic term −λµx3 added to
the potential. Discuss the condition for the validity of the approxima-
tion.

The Hamiltonian of the perturbed system is H = H (0) + λH (1) where

1 2 1 2 (1)
H (0) = p + kx , H = −µx3 . The first-order correction to energy
2m x 2
eigenvalues is given by
* + 3 /2
!
En(1) = ⟨n| − µx3 |n⟩ = −µ ⟨n|(a + a† )3 |n⟩ .
2mω

The expansion of (a + a† )3 is

a3 + a2 a† + aa† a + a† a2 + a†2 a + a† aa† + aa†2 + a†3 .

†
 The eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions of the unperturbed system are
3
!
(0) !2 π 2 n2 (0) 2 "nπx #
En = , n = 1, 2, · · · , φn = sin .
4mL2 L L
(1)
Problem The first-order correction En is
2122: ! Solutions to the Exercises in Quantum Mechanics I: The Fundamentals
2eE L
$
En(1) = − x sin2 (nπx/L) dx
13.10 If the Hamiltonian of a particle L 0 in a box of length L is subjected to a
uniform electric field given $ by L H (1) = −eEx calculate the first-order
eE
correction to the = energy− eigenvalues.
L 0
[x − x cos(2nπx/L)] dx
% 2
The eigenvalues and theeE L
eigenfunctions L2 of the unperturbed &L '
system are
= − − 2 2 cos(2nπx/L)&
&
L 2 4n π ! 0
(0) !2 π 2 n2 (0) 2 " nπx #
En = , eEL
n = 1, 2, · · · , φn = sin .
4mL2= . L L
2
(1)
The first-order correction En is
13.11 A particle in a box potential of width L is perturbed by the term V0 for
$ L
0 < x < L/2 and (1)zero otherwise.
2eE Compute 2 the first-order correction to
E
the energy eigenvalues.
n = − x sin (nπx/L) dx
L 0
eE L of the unperturbed system are
$
The eigenvalues and = eigenfunctions
− [x − x cos(2nπx/L)] dx
L 0 !
2 2 2
(0) ! π n % 2 2
(0) 2 "nπx &L '#
En = eE L
, n = 1, 2, · · · , φn = L sin & .
4mL2 = − − 2 2 cos(2nπx/L) L L
L 2 4n π
&
0
Then eEL
= .$
(1)
2 0 L/2
2V
En = sin2 (nπx/L) dx
13.11 A particle in a box potential L of0 width L is perturbed by the term V0 for
0 < x < L/2 and zero otherwise.V0 L/2 Compute the first-order correction to
$
the energy eigenvalues. = [1 − cos(2nπx/L)] dx
L 0
Problem 3
V0
The eigenvalues and=eigenfunctions of the unperturbed system are
.
2 !
2 2 2
(0) ! π n (0) 2 "nπx #
En = , n = 1, 2, · · · , φn = sin .
(
4mL2 −a/x, xL> 0 L
13.12 An electron in the potential V (x) = is in its ground
Then ∞, x≤0
state characterized by the eigenfunction φ0 = N xe−βx . The particle is
2V0 L/2
$
(1) 2
subjected to an applied
En electric field Esin
= e in(nπx/L)
the x-direction.
dx Calculate the
first-order correction to ground L state 0 energy eigenvalue.
V0 L/2
$
=
First, calculate β. Substituting [1 − cos(2nπx/L)] dx
L the 0
solution in the Schrödinger equation
!2 V0 a
−= ψxx. − ψ = Eψ
2m 2 x
(
−a/x, x > 0
13.12 An electron in the potential V (x) = is in its ground
∞, x≤0
state characterized by the eigenfunction φ0 = N xe−βx . The particle is
subjected to an applied electric field Ee in the x-direction. Calculate the
first-order correction to ground state energy eigenvalue.

First, calculate β. Substituting the solution in the Schrödinger equation

2
 4

Approximation Methods I: Time-Independent Perturbation Theory ! 213

we get

!2 !
−2β + β 2 x − a = Ex .
"
−
2m
Equating the coefficients of x0 and x equal to zero separately we get

ma2 am
E=− , β= .
2!2 !2
#∞
Next, from the normalization condition 1 = N 2 0
x2 e−2 βx dx we find
N = 2β 3 /2 .

Next, the first-order correction to the ground state energy can be cal-
(1)
culated from E0 = ⟨H (1) ⟩. The perturbation H (1) due to the applied
electric field is eEe x. Then
$ ∞
(1) 2
E0 = N eEe x3 e−2 βx dx
0
2 $ ∞
N eEe
= 4
y 3 e−y dy
16 β
%0 $ ∞
N 2 eEe
'
3 −y &∞ 2 −y
&
= −y e 0 + 3 y e dy
16 β 4 0
3 N 2 eEe
=
8 β4
3 eEe
=
2β
3 eEe !2
= .
2ma

13.13 Assume that the perturbation added to the infinite height potential is
(
0, 0 < x < L/2
Vp (x) =
V0 (x − L/2), L/2 < x < L.
Calculate the first-order correction to the energy eigenvalues.

The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the unperturbed system are

)
2 2 2
! π n 2 *nπx +
En(0) = , n = 1, 2, · · · , φ(0)
n = sin .
4 mL2 L L
Then

En(1) (1)
= Hnn
L
2V0
$
= (x − L/2) sin2 (nπx/L) dx.