Quantum Mechanics For Pedestrians 2 Applications And Extensions

This book, the second in a two-volume set, provides an introduction to the basics of (mainly) non-relativistic quantum mechanics. While the first volume addresses the basic principles, this second volume discusses applications and extensions to more complex problems. In addition to topics dealt with in traditional quantum mechanics texts, such as symmetries or many-body problems, it also treats issues of current interest such as entanglement, Bell’s inequality, decoherence and various aspects of quantum information in detail. Furthermore, questions concerning the basis of quantum mechanics and epistemological issues which are relevant e.g. to the realism debate are discussed explicitly. A chapter on the interpretations of quantum mechanics rounds out the book. Readers are introduced to the requisite mathematical tools step by step. In the appendix, the most relevant mathematics is compiled in compact form, and more advanced topics such as the Lenz vector, Hardy’s experiment and Shor’s algorithm are treated in more detail. As an essential aid to learning and teaching, 130 exercises are included, most of them with solutions. This revised second edition is expanded by an introduction into some ideas and problems of relativistic quantum mechanics. In this second volume, an overview of quantum field theory is given and basic conceptions of quantum electrodynamics are treated in some detail. Originally written as a course for students of science education, the book addresses all those science students and others who are looking for a reasonably simple, fresh and modern introduction to the field.

This book, the first in a two-volume set, provides an introduction to the fundamentals of (mainly) non-relativistic quantum mechanics. This first volume chiefly focuses on the essential principles, while applications and extensions of the formalism can be found in volume 2. Including but also moving beyond material that is covered in traditional textbooks on quantum mechanics, the book discusses in detail current issues such as interaction-free quantum measurements or neutrino oscillations, as well as fundamental problems and epistemological questions, such as the measurement problem. A chapter on the postulates of quantum mechanics rounds off this first volume. In order to quickly and clearly present the main principles of quantum mechanics and its mathematical formulation, there is a systematic transition between wave mechanics and algebraic representation in the first few chapters, in which the required mathematical tools are introduced step by step. Moreover, the appendix concisely reviews the most important mathematical tools, allowing readers to largely dispense with supplementary literature. The appendix also explores advanced topics, such as the Quantum-Zeno effect and time-delay experiments. Over 250 exercises, most of them with solutions, help to deepen the reader’s understanding of the topics discussed. This revised second edition is expanded by an introduction to some ideas and problems of relativistic quantum mechanics. In this first volume, the Klein-Gordon and the Dirac equations are treated. Fundamentals of other areas are compiled in compact form, i.e., outlines of special relativity, classical field theory and electrodynamics. The book is chiefly intended for student science teachers and all students of physics, majors and minors alike, who are looking for a reasonably easy and modern introduction to quantum mechanics.

The two-volume textbook Quantum Mechanics for Pedestrians provides an introduction to the basics of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Originally written as a course for students of science education, the book addresses all those science students and others who are looking for a reasonably simple, fresh and modern introduction to the field. The basic principles of quantum mechanics are presented in the first volume. This second volume discusses applications and extensions to more complex problems. In addition to topics traditionally dealt with in quantum mechanics texts, such as symmetries or many-body problems, here also issues of current interest such as entanglement, Bell's inequalities, decoherence and various aspects of quantum information are treated in detail. Furthermore, questions of the basis of quantum mechanics and epistemological issues are discussed explicitly; these are relevant e.g. to the realism debate. A chapter on the interpretations of quantum mechanics completes this volume. The necessary mathematical tools are introduced step by step; in the appendix, the most relevant mathematics is compiled in compact form. More advanced topics such as the Lenz vector, Hardy's experiment and Shor's algorithm are treated in more detail in the appendix. As an essential aid to learning and teaching, 130 exercises are included, most of them with their solutions.

With both industrial and teaching experience, the author explains the effects of time dependence in systems with two energy levels. The book starts with time-independent interactions and goes on to treat interactions with time-dependent electric and magnetic fields. Complete derivations are presented for each case, so the reader understands how the solutions are found. Both closed-form and numerical solutions are treated, and the calculations are compared with experimental data from the literature. Numerous plots are provided to show how the solutions depend on the parameters of the interactions. The book builds upon an undergraduate course in quantum mechanics and is useful for readers interested in magnetic resonance and quantum optics. In addition, this book is ideal for self-study by students or researchers starting on two-level systems. The detailed derivations and plots should ease readers into the study of two-level systems in a wide variety of settings.

Written by a renowned professor of physics, this introductory text is geared toward graduate students taking a year-long course in quantum mechanics in which the third quarter is devoted to relativistic wave equations and field theory. Difficult concepts are introduced gradually, and the theory is applied to physically interesting problems. After an introductory chapter on the formation of quantum mechanics, the treatment advances to examinations of the quantum theory of the free electromagnetic field, the interaction of radiation and matter, second quantization, the interaction of quantized fields, and quantum electrodynamics. Additional topics include the theory of beta decay, particles that interact among themselves, quasi particles in plasmas and metals, and the problem of infinities in quantum electrodynamics. The Appendix contains selected answers to problems that appear throughout the text.

Based on a Cal Tech course, this is an outstanding introduction to formal quantum mechanics for advanced undergraduates in applied physics. The treatment's exploration of a wide range of topics culminates in two eminently practical subjects, the semiconductor transistor and the laser. Each chapter concludes with a set of problems. 1982 edition.

This exposition is devoted to a consistent treatment of quantization problems, based on appealing to some nontrivial items of functional analysis concerning the theory of linear operators in Hilbert spaces. The authors begin by considering quantization problems in general, emphasizing the nontriviality of consistent operator construction by presenting paradoxes to the naive treatment. It then builds the necessary mathematical background following it by the theory of self-adjoint extensions. By considering several problems such as the one-dimensional Calogero problem, the Aharonov-Bohm problem, the problem of delta-like potentials and relativistic Coulomb problemIt then shows how quantization problems associated with correct definition of observables can be treated consistently for comparatively simple quantum-mechanical systems. In the end, related problems in quantum field theory are briefly introduced. This well-organized text is most suitable for students and post graduates interested in deepening their understanding of mathematical problems in quantum mechanics. However, scientists in mathematical and theoretical physics and mathematicians will also find it useful.

Quantum mechanics and the theory of operators on Hilbert space have been deeply linked since their beginnings in the early twentieth century. States of a quantum system correspond to certain elements of the configuration space and observables correspond to certain operators on the space. This book is a brief, but self-contained, introduction to the mathematical methods of quantum mechanics, with a view towards applications to Schrodinger operators. Part 1 of the book is a concise introduction to the spectral theory of unbounded operators. Only those topics that will be needed for later applications are covered. The spectral theorem is a central topic in this approach and is introduced at an early stage. Part 2 starts with the free Schrodinger equation and computes the free resolvent and time evolution. Position, momentum, and angular momentum are discussed via algebraic methods. Various mathematical methods are developed, which are then used to compute the spectrum of the hydrogen atom. Further topics include the nondegeneracy of the ground state, spectra of atoms, and scattering theory. This book serves as a self-contained introduction to spectral theory of unbounded operators in Hilbert space with full proofs and minimal prerequisites: Only a solid knowledge of advanced calculus and a one-semester introduction to complex analysis are required. In particular, no functional analysis and no Lebesgue integration theory are assumed. It develops the mathematical tools necessary to prove some key results in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Mathematical Methods in Quantum Mechanics is intended for beginning graduate students in both mathematics and physics and provides a solid foundation for reading more advanced books and current research literature. It is well suited for self-study and includes numerous exercises (many with hints).