Quantum Mechanics 2

Solution to problem set 5

1. First remember that the hydrogen energy eigenstates |nlmi must satisfy n > l and
|m| ≤ l, so there aren’t too many states to acoount for. Remember the form of the
Wigner-Eckart theorem

hn0 l0 m0 | Tq(k) |nlmi = (lk; mq| l0 m0 ) hn0 l0 k T (k) knli

In addition X~ = X x̂ + Y ŷ + Z ẑ, but we know that we can construct a spherical

irreducible tensor of rank 1 out of X, Y, Z
(1) (1)
T±1 = ∓ √12 (X ± iY ) ; T0 =Z .

If we look at the C.G. coefficient in the Wigner-Eckart theorem, we see that, since
in our case k = 1, then all matrix elements with l = l0 = 0 vanish identically.
Let us now examine h21m0 | Tq(1) |21mi. All these matrix elements will vanish, due
to parity. Let us see why: this is because Ylm (π − θ, φ + π) = (−1)l Ylm (θ, φ) (that
is Ylm has parity of (−1)l ), so the matrix element is proportional to
Z
0 ∗
h21m | Tq(1) |21mi ∝ dΩY1m (1)
0 Y1m Tq

which will vanish regardless of m, m0 and q (remember that Tq(1) is proportional

either to cos θ or sin θ).
Up to now we covered all the vanishing matrix elements. Let us next examine
(1)
h210| T0 |100i = h210| r cos θ |100i

The angular part of this expression is (just put the right coefficient of Y00 , and of
cos θ in terms of Y10 ) Z
1 1
dΩY10∗ (Ω) √ Y10 (Ω) = √
3 3
so using the given integral, we get

(1)
√  2 6
h210| T0 |100i = 8 a0
3
and from the Wigner-Eckart theorem we know this means that
√  2 6
8 3 a0
h21k T (1) k10i = .
(01; 00| 10)

1
 The last Clebsh-Gordan coefficient is easy, since there is only one way to get a
|j = 1, m = 0i of |1, m0 i and |0, 0i, which means that (01; 00| 10) = 1. We have then

(1) (1) (1)

√  2 6
h210| T0 |100i = h211| T1 |100i = h21 − 1| T−1 |100i = 8 a0
3

(all the rest of the type h21m| T (1) |100i vanish, because of the Clebsh-Gordan coef-
ficients, check it!). Next, and lastly, examine
(1)
h210| T0 |200i

The relevant
R∞ 3
Clebsh-Gordan coefficient is (01; 00| 10) = 1, so we use the given
integral 0 r drR21 (r)R20 (r) to find

(1) 1 √
h210| T0 |200i = √ 27a0
3
= 3a0

and therefore
−3a0
h21k T (1) k20i =
(01; 00| 10)
= −3a0 .

With our knowledge of the Clebsh-Gordan coefficient deduce then

(1) (1)
h211| T1 |200i = h21 − 11| T−1 |200i = −3a0 .

We have found the matrix element in terms of Tq(k) . Switching to the the original
~ is simple through
X
1  (1) (1)

X = √ T−1 − T1
2
i  (1) (1)

Y = √ T−1 + T1
2
(1)
Z = T0

2. First we write our operator in terms of its 0, ±1 components

− Vx√
+iVy
 
2
Vq(1)
 
=
 Vz
.

Vx −iVy
√
2

2
 Now, we use the given form of the rotaion matrix to get
√
− Vx√+iVy
  
cos(β)
√ + 1 − 2 sin(β) 1 −
√ cos(β) 2
X (1) (1) 1  
dqq0 (β)Vq0 = 2 sin(β) √2 cos(β) − 2 sin(β)   Vz
 
2
  
q0 Vx −iVy
1 − cos(β) 2 sin(β) cos(β) + 1 √
2
 
V (− cos(β)) − iVy − Vz sin(β)
1  x√
= √  2 (Vz cos(β) − Vx sin(β)) 

2 Vx cos(β) − iVy + Vz sin(β)

If now we use
1  (1) (1)

Vx = √ V−1 − V1
2
i  (1) (1)

Vy = √ V−1 + V1
2
(1)
Vz = V0

we get

Vx = Vx cos(β) + Vz sin(β)
Vz = Vz cos(β) − Vx sin(β)
Vy = Vy

which is just what is expected for a cartesian operator under a rotation about the
y − axis.
~ , V~ we can construct spherical tensors with components
3. From the vector operators U
∓1
W±1 = √
2
(Wx ± iWy ) ; W0 = Wz

(W being either U or V ). We can construct a spherical tensor of rank k according

to
(q)
(k1 k2 ; q1 q2 | kq) Uq(k1 1 ) Vq(k 2)
X
Tk = 2
q1 q2

and in our case k1 = k2 = 1. Remember that in the previous homework, we have

found the Clebsh-Gordan coefficients corresponding to the “addition of two spin 1”,
so
(2)
T2 = (11; 11| 22) U1 V1
1
= (Ux + iUy ) (Vx + iVy )
2
−1
= (Ux Vx − Uy Vy + iUx Vy + iUy Vx )
2
3
 Now, for q = 1
(2)
T1 = (11; 01| 21) U0 V1 + (11; 10| 21) U1 V0
1
= √ (U0 V1 + U1 V0 )
2
−1
= (Uz Vx + Ux Vz + iUz Vy + iUy Vz )
2
Similarly one gets
(2) 1
T0 = √ (2Uz Vz − Ux Vx − Uy Vy )
6
(2) 1
T−1 = (Uz Vx + Ux Vz − iUz Vy − iUy Vz )
2
(2) 1
T−2 = (Ux Vx − Uy Vy − iUx Vy − iUy Vx )
2
4. (a) Let σ be any permutation, and denote |ui = (|φ1 i |φ2 i . . . |φn i) and |vi =
(|θ1 i |θ2 i . . . |θn i) then
 E E E
hv |σui = (hθ1 | hθ2 | . . . hθn |) φσ(1) φσ(2) . . . φσ(n)
D D D 
= θσ−1 (1) θσ−1 (2) . . . θσ−1 (n) (|φ1 i |φ2 i . . . |φn i)
D
= v −1 ui .

Hence, σ † = σ −1 and therefore

1 X † 1 X −1 1 X
Ŝ † = σ = σ = σ = Ŝ.
n! n! n!
Also
1 X
† = sgn(σ)σ †
n!
1 X
= sgn(σ)σ −1
n!
1 X
= sgn(σ −1 )σ −1
n!
1 X
= sgn(σ)σ
n!
= Â.

(b) We prove that S |ui is a symmetrical vector by showing that for an arbitrary
permutation τ ,
1 X 1 X 1 X 0
τ S |ui = τ σ |ui = τ σ |ui = σ |ui = τ S |ui .
n! n! n!
4
 Similarly
1 X 1 X
τ Â |ui = τ sgn(σ)σ |ui = sgn(σ)στ |ui
n! n!
1 X
= (sgn(τ ))−1 sgn(σ)sgn(τ )στ |ui
n!
1 X
= (sgn(τ )) sgn(στ )στ |ui
n!
1 X
= (sgn(τ )) sgn(σ 0 )σ 0 |ui = (sgn(τ )) Â |ui
n!
(c) For Ŝ 2
1 X 1 X 1 X n!
 
2
Ŝ = σ Ŝ = σ Ŝ = Ŝ = Ŝ = Ŝ.
n! n! n! n!
For Â2
1 X 1 X 1 X
 
2
 = sgn(σ)σ  = sgn(σ)σ  =  = Â.
n! n! n!
And for ÂŜ, Ŝ Â
1 X 1 X
ÂŜ = sgn (σ) σ Ŝ = Ŝ sgn (σ) = 0
n! n!
and
1 X 1 X
Ŝ Â = σ Â = Â sgn (σ) = 0
n! n!
(d) Remember that a permutation is equivalent to specifying the order of the
state functions, for example, if the state functions of the independent particles
are |φi i then the permutation σ = {1, 3, 2} means that the state-function is
|φ1 i |φ3 i |φ2 i. It is clear that the permutation
σ = {1, 2, 3}
is the identity operator. The permutations also satisfy closure. There are six
different permutations of σ (3) , so there are 36 closure relations that need to be
verified, I won’t go through them here, here is an example
σ(1, 3, 2)σ(2, 3, 1) = σ(2, 1, 3).
It may also be proven for any n, by induction, but it is quite involved. The
existance of a reciprocal for each element is easy to verify
σ(1, 2, 3)σ(1, 2, 3) = I; σ(1, 3, 2)σ(1, 3, 2) = I; σ(3, 1, 2)σ(2, 3, 1) = I;
σ(2, 1, 3)σ(2, 1, 3) = I; σ(2, 3, 1)σ(3, 1, 2) = I; σ(3, 2, 1)σ(3, 2, 1) = I;

Indeed, the permutations σ (3) form a group.

5
 Figure 1: The two possible states of the system in its ground state.

5. (a) An electron has spin 1/2; thus, the eigenstates and eigenvalues are
! !
q   1 q   0
ψn+ = 2
L
sin nπx
L
; ψn− = 2
L
sin nπx
L
0 1

where En = π 2 h̄2 n2 /2mL2 . The additional degree of freedom, namely, the spin,
allows us to put two electrons in the first energy level, since this energy level
corresponds now to two different eigenstates: spin up and spin down. Thus,
there are two possible configurations for the ground state; they are depicted in
figure (1)
(b) There are three basic functions for each diagram in Fig. 13-2. For the left
diagram we have ψ1+ , ψ1− , ψ2+ , and for the right diagram we have ψ1+ , ψ1− , ψ2− .
Using the slater determinant we get

ψ1+ (x1 ) ψ1− (x1 ) ψ2+ (x1 )

1
ψlef t = √ ψ1+ (x2 ) ψ1− (x2 ) ψ2+ (x2 )
6 ψ + (x ) ψ − (x ) ψ + (x )
1 3 1 3 2 3

and
ψ1+ (x1 ) ψ1− (x1 ) ψ2− (x1 )
1
ψright = √ ψ1+ (x2 ) ψ1− (x2 ) ψ2− (x2 )
6 ψ + (x ) ψ − (x ) ψ − (x )
1 3 1 3 2 3

6. Consider two identical particles of spin 1 that have the same spatial function φ(r).

(a) This was actually calculated in the previous problem set. For S = 2

|2, 2i = |1, 1; 1, 1i

6
 1
|2, 1i = √ (|1, 0; 1, 1i + |1, 1; 1, 0i)
2
1
|2, 0i = √ (|1, −1; 1, 1i + 2 |1, 0; 1, 0i + |1, 1; 1, −1i)
6
1
|2, −1i = √ (|1, −1; 1, 0i + |1, 0; 1, −1i)
2
|2, −2i = |1, −1; 1, −1i .

For S = 1
1
|1, 1i = √ (− |1, 0; 1, 1i + |1, 1; 1, 0i)
2
1
|1, 0i = √ (− |1, −1; 1, 1i + |1, 1; 1, −1i)
2
1
|1, −1i = √ (− |1, −1; 1, 0i + |1, 0; 1, −1i) .
2
For S = 0
1
|0, 0i = √ (|1, 1; 1, −1i + |1, −1; 1, 1i − |1, 0; 1, 0i)
3

(b) We know that the two particles have the same spatial wavefunction. In ad-
dition, from part (a) of the question, we know that under permutation of the
particles

|s = 2, mi → |s = 2, mi
|s = 1, mi → − |s = 1, mi
|s = 0, 0i → |s = 0, 0i

so in order to make the overall wavefunction symmetric, the only allowed spin
states are those with s = 0, 2