CYK\2022\PH204\Tutorial 4 Quantum Mechanics
Harmonic Oscillator:
1. Compute uncertainties σx and σP in position and momentum of a harmonic oscillator when it is in
state |ni. [Hint: To calculate expectation values, first write X̂ in terms of â and ↠.]
2. Compute 3 X 3 2 , n X 4 n .
3. Compute the matrix of a, a† , X and P wrt the basis B = {|ni}. Which matrices are hermitian?
4. Find a general solution of the differential equation assuming that x is large,
φ00 (x) = x2 φ(x).
5. Find the general solution h(x) of the differential equation
d2 h dh
2
− 2ξ + 2nh = 0
dξ dξ
where n is some positive odd integer using power series method. There are two lineraly independent
solutions, of which one must be Hermite polynomial. What about the second solution? (I strongly
recommend that you solve this problem by yourselves as a practice of power series method.)
6. Hermite polynomials are defined as
2 dn −x2
Hn (x) = (−1)n ex e
dxn
Prove the properties of Hermite Polynomials:
R∞ 2 √ 2
(a) Orthogonality: −∞ Hn (x)Hm (x)e−x dx = π2n n!δmn . (Note the weight factor e−x )
(b) Differential Equation: Hn00 − 2xHn0 + 2nHn = 0.
(c) Recurrence Relations: Hn+1 = 2xHn − Hn0 and Hn0 = 2nHn−1 .
tn
(d) Generating Function: e2xt−t = ∞
2 P
n=0 Hn (x) n!
7. If f (x) is even and g(x) is odd under transformation x → −x, show that
Z ∞
f (x)g(x) dx = 0.
−∞
Use this result to show that ψ1 and ψ2 are orthogonal, where ψn is a normalized energy eigenstate of
harmonic oscillator. Now show that ψ0 and ψ2 are orthogonal, using the values of Gaussian integrals
(See any book on Mathematical Physics or Appendix A.2 in R Shankar’s book).
8. A particle of mass m in the harmonic oscillator potential, starts out at t = 0, in the state
2 /2
Ψ(x, 0) = A (1 − 2ξ)2 e−ξ
p
where A is a constant and ξ = mω/~x.
(a) What is the average value of energy?
(b) After time T , the wave function is
2 /2
Ψ(x, T ) = B (1 + 2ξ)2 e−ξ
for some constant B. What is the smallest value of T ?
1
9. Find allowed energies of the half harmonic oscillator
(
1
mω 2 x2 , x > 0,
V (x) = 2
∞, x < 0.
10. Let φn be eigenstates of the harmonic oscillator. For a given complex number µ, let
∞
|µ|2 X µn
χµ = e − 2 √ φn .
n=0 n!
Such states are called coherent states.
(a) Show that
âχµ = µχµ
that is χµ is an eigenstate of â.
(b) If the state of the oscillator is χµ , then show that σx σp = ~/2.
(c) The state of the oscillator Ψ(t = 0) = χµ , then show that
Ψ(t) = χµ0
where µ0 = e−iωt µ. That means, if the state of the system, at an instant is a coherent state, then
it is a coherent state at all times.
(d) Optional: If you choose the hilbert space to be L2 (R), then show that |Ψ(x, t)|2 is a gaussian
wave packet and the wave packet performs a harmonic oscillations without changing the shape.