Quantum Physics 1: Week 4 Problem Set
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popbop67Quantum Physics 1: Week 4 Problem Set
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Powered by AIThe values \( \langle \psi_g | \hat{A} | \psi_g \rangle, \langle \psi_g | \hat{A} | \psi_e \rangle, \langle \psi_e | \hat{A} | \psi_g \rangle, \text{and} \langle \psi_e | \hat{A} | \psi_e \rangle \) represent expectation values and transition amplitudes associated with the position operator \( \hat{A} \) in the context of the system's ground state \( |\psi_g\rangle \) and excited state \( |\psi_e\rangle \). Specifically, \( \langle \psi_g | \hat{A} | \psi_g \rangle \) and \( \langle \psi_e | \hat{A} | \psi_e \rangle \) give the average position of the particle in each of these states, reflecting their likelihood of localization in either potential well. Meanwhile, \( \langle \psi_g | \hat{A} | \psi_e \rangle \) and \( \langle \psi_e | \hat{A} | \psi_g \rangle \) describe the probability amplitude for transitioning between the ground and excited states, which relates to coherent tunneling effects under the external electric field .
To derive the expressions for k2 and k3 from the time-independent Schrödinger equation for this system, one needs to recognize the potential landscape V(x) in the specific regions. The Schrödinger equation is given by \(-\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\frac{d^2\psi}{dx^2} + V(x)\psi = E\psi\). In region 2, the potential is V(x) = V0 and the total energy E > V0, leading to \(k2 = \sqrt{\frac{2m(E-V0)}{\hbar^2}}\) for a free moving wave solution. In region 3, a similar process reveals \(k3 = \sqrt{\frac{2m(E-V0)}{\hbar^2}}\), using the fact that the potential and energy relationship remains unchanged between regions 2 and 3 .
In a double well system with an electric field applied, the symmetry of the wavefunctions provides significant insight into how energy levels split due to the field influence. When the system is symmetric (i.e., the wells are identical and there is no external field), the states would be degenerate. However, an electric field alters the potential landscape, allowing for tunneling, which lifts the degeneracy. The energy eigenstates become symmetric and anti-symmetric superpositions of the original degenerate states |ϕL〉 and |ϕR〉, with energies that reflect the field-induced interaction term T in the Hamiltonian \( \hat{H} = \begin{pmatrix} E_0 & T \\ T & E_0 \end{pmatrix} \). The new eigenvalues represent the system's ground and excited states, with the symmetric combination having lower energy than the anti-symmetric one due to constructive and destructive interference, respectively .
To construct eigenfunctions of the momentum operator from cos(kx) and sin(kx), which are solutions of the free particle Hamiltonian, notice that the momentum operator \( \hat{p} = -i\hbar \frac{d}{dx} \) yields eigenfunctions of the form \( e^{ikx} \) where the eigenvalue is \( \hbar k \). The functions cos(kx) and sin(kx) can be expressed in terms of exponential functions \( e^{ikx} \) and \( e^{-ikx} \). Specifically, \( cos(kx) = \frac{e^{ikx} + e^{-ikx}}{2} \) and \( sin(kx) = \frac{e^{ikx} - e^{-ikx}}{2i} \). Therefore, linear combinations such as \( a e^{ikx} + b e^{-ikx} \) are eigenfunctions of \( \hat{p} \), demonstrating that the correct linear combinations of these functions satisfy the eigenfunction requirement with respect to the momentum operator .
When a static electric field is present in a two-state quantum system like a double well, the Hamiltonian changes to \( \hat{H} = \begin{pmatrix} E_0 & T \\ T & E_0 \end{pmatrix} \), allowing for tunneling between the wells. The position operator \( \hat{A} = \begin{pmatrix} -a & 0 \\ 0 & a \end{pmatrix} \) then has observable effects due to non-zero overlap between the states. Measurement outcomes depend on the current quantum state. If the system is in one of the (new) superposition states determined by the field-induced Hamiltonian, the probability of measuring the electron in either the left or right well becomes non-trivial. The probabilities can be computed using the respective amplitudes of these combined states, indicating the field's role in lifting degeneracy and creating state mixing .
The temporal evolution of an observable like the position operator \( \hat{A} \) in a double well system can be determined using the Heisenberg picture or by applying time-dependent Schrödinger equation principles where \( \hat{A}(t) = U(t)^{\dagger} \hat{A}(0) U(t) \), and \( U(t) \) is the time evolution operator \( e^{−i\hat{H}t/\hbar} \) with the Hamiltonian \( \hat{H} = \begin{pmatrix} E_0 & T \\ T & E_0 \end{pmatrix} \). This computation shows how the operator changes over time due to the field-induced state mixing. Physically, this represents the oscillation of localization probabilities between the wells, which occurs because tunneling enables the particle to dynamically shift between potential energy states over time .
In the problem, transforming the quantum mechanical differential equations into a matrix equation \( \mathbf{v} = \mathbf{M} \mathbf{s} \), where \( \mathbf{v} \) and \( \mathbf{s} \) are vectors of coefficients of the wavefunction, is crucial for finding energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. This involves setting up a system of equations based on boundary conditions and continuity of the wavefunction and its derivative at various potential boundaries. Each entry of the matrix \( \mathbf{M} \) encapsulates these boundary conditions and the potential landscape. By solving the determinant \( \det(\mathbf{M} - \lambda \mathbf{I}) = 0 \), where \( \lambda \) represents energy levels, one finds the eigenenergies, while solving the resulting homogeneous system \( \mathbf{M} \mathbf{s} = 0 \) gives the coefficients of the different stationary state solutions .
In the given potential barrier scenario, regions 1 and 4 represent areas where the potential V(x) is infinite (i.e., V = ∞). In quantum mechanics, this implies that the probability of finding an electron in these regions is zero, as the energy of the particle cannot surpass an infinite barrier. Consequently, the wavefunctions ψ in these regions must also be zero, aligning with the boundary condition that no physical state can exist in an infinitely high potential energy region. This creates confinement, leading to well-defined boundary conditions for solving the Schrödinger equation in the finite potential regions 2 and 3 .
For non-degenerate eigenfunctions, commutativity between an operator \( \hat{A} \) and another \( \hat{B} \) implies that eigenstates of \( \hat{A} \) are also eigenstates of \( \hat{B} \), maintaining a unique eigenvalue correspondence. However, with degenerate eigenfunctions, while \( \hat{A} \) and \( \hat{B} \) still commute meaning they share a set of eigenfunctions, the degeneracy allows for linear combinations of these eigenfunctions to represent physically distinguishing bases for \( \hat{B} \) within the degenerate subspace. Therefore, one can form independent linear combinations that are also eigenfunctions of \( \hat{B} \). This leads to potentially different physical interpretations, such as symmetry breaking or lifting of degeneracy depending on the measurement or the interactions introduced .
Quantifying the probabilities and resulting states involves projecting the initial state onto the eigenstates of the position operator, \( \hat{A} \), which determines localization. Given the superposed initial state \( \Psi = c_1 |\psi_g\rangle + c_2 |\psi_e\rangle \), the probability of finding the particle in either well can be calculated using \( P_{L/R} = |\langle L/R|\Psi\rangle|^2 \), where \( |L\rangle \) and \( |R\rangle \) are the left and right well localization states expressed in the ground and excited state basis. After a measurement yielding, say, localization in the left well, the post-measurement state collapses to \( |L\rangle \) with a probability error reflecting the initial state coefficient magnitudes \( |c_1|^2 \) and \( |c_2|^2 \).