Quantum Mechanics II - Homework Assignment 3

Alejandro Gomez Espinosa

February 25, 2013

1) Schrodinger, Heisenberg and interaction representations: (Assume in all cases that the Schrodinger
operators have no time dependence.)
a) Show that A
H
(t) = A
I
(t) = A
S
all coincide at t = 0.
Let us start with the Heisenberg representation. Here, the operator A
H
(t) is dene as:
A
H
(t) = U

S
A
S
U
S
(1)
where U
S
(t) = exp
_

i
h
H
S
t
_
. Then, for t = 0:
A
H
(t = 0) = U

S
A
S
U
S
= exp
_
i
h
H
S
0
_
A
S
exp
_

i
h
H
S
0
_
= A
S
In case of Interaction representation,
A
I
(t) = U
0
S
A
S
U
0
S
(2)
where U
0
S
= exp
_

i
h
H
0
S
t
_
, H
0
S
is the Hamiltonian of the unperturbed system. Then, similar
as the Heisenberg operator:
A
I
(t = 0) = U
0
S
A
S
U
0
S
= exp
_
i
h
H
0
S
0
_
A
S
exp
_

i
h
H
0
S
0
_
= A
S
Therefore:
A
I
(t = 0) = A
H
(t = 0) = A
S
(3)
b) Show that if A
S
and B
S
commute, then so do A
H
(t) and B
H
(t), and so do A
I
(t) and B
I
(t).
If the operators commute, then [A
S
, B
S
] = 0 and hence A
S
B
S
= B
S
A
S
. In the Heisenberg
representation:
[A
H
, B
H
] = A
H
B
H
B
H
A
H
= U

S
A
S
U
S
U

S
B
S
U
S
U

S
B
S
U
S
U

S
A
S
U
S
= U

S
A
S
B
S
U
S
U

S
B
S
A
S
U
S
= U

S
A
S
B
S
U
S
U

S
A
S
B
S
U
S
= 0
Similar for the interaction representation:
[A
I
, B
I
] = A
I
B
I
B
I
A
I
= U
0
S
A
S
U
0
S
U
0
S
B
S
U
0
S
U
0
S
B
S
U
0
S
U
0
S
A
S
U
0
S
= U
0
S
A
S
B
S
U
0
S
U
0
S
B
S
A
S
U
0
S
= U
0
S
A
S
B
S
U
0
S
U
0
S
A
S
B
S
U
0
S
= 0

gomez@physics.rutgers.edu
1
c) Note that interaction and Heisenberg operators do not normally commute with themselves at
dierent times. However, as an exception, show that if [A
S
, H
0
] = 0 then [A
I
(t), A
I
(t

)] = 0.
If A
S
and H
0
S
commute, then A
S
H
0
S
= H
0
S
A
S
. Then,
[A
I
(t), A
I
(t

)] = A
I
(t)A
I
(t

) A
I
(t

)A
I
(t)
= U
0
S
(t)A
S
U
0
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

)A
S
U
0
S
(t

) U
0
S
(t

)A
S
U
0
S
(t

)U
0
S
(t)A
S
U
0
S
(t)
= U
0
S
(t)A
S
e

i
h
H
S
0
t
e
i
h
H
0
S
t

A
S
U
0
S
(t

) U
0
S
(t

)A
S
e

i
h
H
S
0
t

e
i
h
H
0
S
t
(t)A
S
U
0
S
(t)
= U
0
S
(t)A
S
e

i
h
H
S
0
(tt

)
A
S
U
0
S
(t

) U
0
S
(t

)A
S
e

i
h
H
S
0
(t

t)
A
S
U
0
S
(t)
= U
0
S
(t)A
S
_
I
i
h
_
H
S
0
(t t

)dt
_
A
S
U
0
S
(t

)
U
0
S
(t

)A
S
_
I
i
h
_
H
S
0
(t

t)dt
_
A
S
U
0
S
(t)
= U
0
S
(t)A
2
S
U
0
S
(t

) U
0
S
(t)A
S
_
i
h
_
H
S
0
(t t

)dt
_
A
S
U
0
S
(t

)
U
0
S
(t

)A
2
S
U
0
S
(t) +U
0
S
(t

)A
S
_
i
h
_
H
S
0
(t

t)dt
_
A
S
U
0
S
(t)
= 0
where the squared terms vanish because same operators in the Schrodinger representation
commute. Also, to vanish the integral terms, we used the commutation given in the problem.
d) Show that the explicit solution to Shankar Eqs. (18.3.34a-b) for the 1D SHO, having the right
limiting behavior at t = 0 (see part (a)), is
X
H
(t) = X
S
cos t +
P
S
m
sin t (4)
P
H
(t) = P
S
cos t mX
S
sin t (5)
Equations (18.3.34) are:

X
H
=
P
H
m

P
H
= m
2
X
H
since we are treating the limit behavior at t = 0, then

X
S
=
P
S
m
(6)

P
S
= m
2
X
S
(7)
Time Derivative again (6):
m

X
S
=

P
S
and replacing in (7)
m

X
S
+m
2
X
S
= 0

X
S
+
2
X
S
= 0
with the solutions:
X
S
= Acos(t) +Bsin(t) (8)
2
where A, B are constants. Repeating the same procedure, time derivative of (7) and replacing
in (6), we found the solution for P
S
:
P
S
= C cos(t) +Dsin(t) (9)
where C, D, are constants. Comparing (8) and (9) with (6) and (7), it is easy to check the
values of this constants to satisfy (6) and (7):
A = X
S
, B =
P
S
m
, C = P
S
, D = mX
S
Finally,
X
H
= X
S
cos(t) +
P
S
m
sin(t) (10)
P
H
= P
S
cos(t) mX
S
sin(t) (11)
2) Read Shankar pp. 485-489 ans show directly that:
a) Implicit equation (18.3.19) satises (18.3.17).
Equation (18.3.19) reads:
U
I
(t, t
0
) = I
i
h
_
t
t
0
H
I
(t

)U
I
(t

, t
0
)dt

(12)
It must satisfy equation (18.3.17):
ih
dU
I
dt
= H
1
I
U
I
(13)
It is easy to see that once we derivate (12) the rst term vanishes since is the identity operator
and the integration of the second term will vanish with the time derivation. Then, (13) is
satised.
b) Explicit equation (18.3.25) satises (18.3.17).
Equation (18.3.25) is given by:
(14)
U
I
(t) = I
i
h
_
t
t
0
H
1
I
(t

)dt

+
_

i
h
_
2
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
H
1
I
(t

)H
1
I
(t

) dt

dt

+
+
_

i
h
_
3
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
_
t

t
0
H
1
I
(t

)H
1
I
(t

)H
1
I
(t

) dt

dt

dt

+...
Let us time derivate this expression:
dU
I
dt
=
dI
dt

i
h
d
dt
_
t
t
0
H
1
I
(t

)dt

+
_

i
h
_
2
d
dt
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
H
1
I
(t

)H
1
I
(t

) dt

dt

+...
=
i
h
H
1
I
(t) +
_

i
h
_
2
H
1
I
(t)
_
t

t
0
H
1
I
(t

) dt

+...
=
i
h
H
1
I
(t)
_
I
i
h
_
t

t
0
H
1
I
(t

) dt

+...
_
=
i
h
H
1
I
(t)U
I
ih
dU
I
dt
= H
1
I
U
I
3
c) Explicit equation (18.3.26 - 2nd version) satises (18.3.5).
Equation (18.3.26) is given by:
(15)
U
S
(t, t
0
) = U
0
S
(t, t
0
)
i
h
_
t
t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+
_

i
h
_
2
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

dt

+...
Let us time derivate this expression:
dU
S
(t, t
0
)
dt
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
d
dt
_
t
t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+
+
_

i
h
_
2
d
dt
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t

)H
1
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

dt

+...
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
d
dt
_
t
t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)[H
S
(t) H
0
S
]U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+
+
_

i
h
_
2
d
dt
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)[H
S
(t) H
0
S
]U
0
S
(t

, t

)[H
S
(t) H
0
S
]U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

dt

+...
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
d
dt
_
t
t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+
i
h
d
dt
_
t
t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
0
S
U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+
_

i
h
_
2
d
dt
_
t
t
0
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

dt

+...
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
U
0
S
(t, t)H
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
) dt

+
i
h
U
0
S
(t, t)H
0
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
)
+
_

i
h
_
2
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+...
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
H
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
) dt

+
i
h
H
0
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
)
+
_

i
h
_
2
_
t

t
0
H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+...
=
dU
0
S
(t, t
0
)
dt

i
h
H
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
) dt

d
dt
U
0
S
(t, t
0
)
+
_

i
h
_
2
H
S
(t)
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+...
=
i
h
H
S
U
0
S
(t, t
0
) dt

+
_

i
h
_
2
H
S
(t)
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+...
=
i
h
H
S
(t)
_
U
0
S
(t, t
0
)
i
h
_
t

t
0
U
0
S
(t, t

)H
S
(t)U
0
S
(t

, t
0
) dt

+...
_
=
i
h
H
S
U
S
(t, t
0
)
ih
dU
S
dt
= H
S
U
S
4
d) What is the implicit solution for U
S
(t, t
0
) (i.e., the analog of (18.3.19) for the Schrodinger
picture)?
In the Schrodinger picture, the solution must be:
U
S
(t, t
0
) = I
i
h
H
S
(t t
0
)
1
2 h
H
2
S
(t t
0
)
2
+... (16)
3) A hydrogen atom initially in its 1s ground state is subject to an electric eld E(t) = E
0
cos(t) z whose
frequency is large enough that h exceeds the ionizations energy of 1 Ry. Assuming a plane-wave
nal state, what is the rate for transitions to an ionized state, and what is the angular distribution
of emitted electrons?
To solve this problem, we assume that the nal state may be approximated by a plane wave. Then
we need the integral 1s|z|k. If possible, show that
1s|z|k =
32i

(1 +k
2
a
2
)
3
(ka)a
5/2
(17)
(Hint: Use the mathematical identity
_

0
r
n
e
r
dr =
n!

n+1
(18)
which holds even when is complex as long as Re() > 0.) But if you have trouble with the matrix
element, assume the result quoted here and nish the problem.
This problem is similar to the one described in Section 18.5 for the Photoelectric Eect in Hydrogen.
According to (18.5.5), the transition matrix element is given by:
H
1
fi
=
e
2mc
1
(2h)
3/2
k|E z|1s =
e
2mc
1
(2h)
3/2
32i

E
0
(1 +k
2
a
2
)
3
(ka)a
5/2
(19)
where we use (17) for the matrix element. Then, from the Fermi Golden Rule:
R
if
=
2
h
|H
1
fi
|
2
(E
0
f
E
0
i
h) (20)
Replacing (19) in (20):
R
if
=
2
h

e
2mc
1
(2h)
3/2
32i

E
0
(1 +k
2
a
2
)
3
(ka)a
5/2

2
(E
0
f
E
0
i
h)
=
2
h
_
e
2mc
_
2
1
(2h)
3
(32E
0
)
2
(1 +k
2
a
2
)
6
k
2
a
7
(E
0
f
E
0
i
h)
=
a

_
ekE
0
mch
2
_
2
_
2a
1 +k
2
a
2
_
6
(E
0
f
E
0
i
h) (21)
Then, for the delta function, we can use relation (18.5.24):

_
p
2
f
2m
E
0
i
h
_
=
m
p
f

_
p
f
(2m(E
0
i
+ h))
1/2
_
(22)
where we can dene p
f
= (2m(E
0
i
+ h))
1/2
. Hence,
R
if
=
a

_
ekE
0
mch
2
_
2
_
2a
1 +k
2
a
2
_
6
mp
f
d (23)
5
Finally, integrating (23) over all angles:
R
i all
=
a

_
ekE
0
mch
2
_
2
_
2a
1 +k
2
a
2
_
6
mp
f
_ _
cos
2
d(cos ) d
=
4ap
f
3m
_
ekE
0
ch
2
_
2
_
2a
1 +k
2
a
2
_
6
4) Consider an object (e.g., an atom) that is made up of N particles of charge q
j
and mass m
j
(j = 1, N),
bound together by unperturbed Hamiltonian H
0
. In general, H
0
is not easy to solve, but lets take the
formal approach of assuming that we know the eigenvalues E
n
= h
n
and corresponding eigenvectors
|n of the atom. For the perturbation, we consider an external electromagnetic eld that we represent
here in terms of a purely scalar potential of plane-wave form, (r, t) =
0
e
ikr
e
it
, where
0
, k,
and are xed parameters. Thus, the perturbation is
V (t) =
N

j=1
q
j
(r
j
, t) (24)
This oscillating external potential potential causes transitions from the ground state s to some excited
state n of the atom. Show that the rate at which such transitions occur is

sn
=
2|
0
|
2
h
2
|
ns
(k)|
2
(
ns
) (25)
where
ns
(k) = n|(k)|s is the matrix element of the density operator in k space
(k) =
_
d
3
r e
ikr
(r) (26)
which in turn has been dened as the Fourier transform of the density operator in real space
(r) =
N

j=1
q
j
(r r
j
) (27)
Starting from the Fermi Golden Rule (20), using (24) as the perturbed Hamiltonian:

sn
=
2
h
|H
1
ns
|
2
(E
n
E
s
h)
=
2
h
|n|V (t)|s|
2
(E
n
E
s
h)
where the delta function:
(E
n
E
s
h) = ( h
n
h
s
h) =
1
h
(
n

s
) =
1
h
(
ns
) (28)
6
Let us calculate the matrix element:
n|V (t)|s =
_
n|
N

j=1
q
j
(r
j
)|s dr
3
=
0
_
n|
N

j=1
q
j
e
ikr
j
|s dr
3
=
0
_
n|
N

j=1
q
j
e
ikr
(r r
j
)|s dr
3
=
0
_
n|e
ikr
N

j=1
q
j
(r r
j
)|s dr
3
=
0
_
n|e
ikr
(r)|s dr
3
=
0
n|(k)|s
=
0

ns
(k)
Finally, plugging the last relation and (28) into the previous rate of transition:

sn
=
2
h
|
0

ns
(k)|
2
1
h
(
ns
) =
2
h
2
|
0

ns
(k)|
2
(
ns
) (29)
7