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Operators and Observables

The document discusses the properties of Hilbert spaces, including their infinite-dimensional nature, the existence of a real inner product, and completeness. It also covers the harmonic oscillator in quantum mechanics, detailing the Hamiltonian, energy eigenvalues, and the role of ladder operators in generating states. Additionally, it highlights the significance of the ground state and the process of finding excited states through the application of creation and annihilation operators.

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afrin sayla
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3 views50 pages

Operators and Observables

The document discusses the properties of Hilbert spaces, including their infinite-dimensional nature, the existence of a real inner product, and completeness. It also covers the harmonic oscillator in quantum mechanics, detailing the Hamiltonian, energy eigenvalues, and the role of ladder operators in generating states. Additionally, it highlights the significance of the ground state and the process of finding excited states through the application of creation and annihilation operators.

Uploaded by

afrin sayla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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andHilbert

scalars, a, b, c, ... that satisfies the following


Space
properties.

1. H is an infinite-dimensional linear vector


space, that is, it has infinite dimensions and
possesses all the properties of a linear vector
space discussed earlier.

2. There exists in H a real inner product which is


finite and satisfies all the aforementioned
properties.

3. H is separable. It means that there exists a


Cauchy sequence {ψn} ∈ H , n =1, 2, 3, ...,
such that for every ψ ∈ H and ε >0, there is
at least one ψn of the sequence for which ǁψ
− ψnǁ < ε.
4. H is complete. It means that every Cauchy sequence
of elements {ψn}  H converges to an element of H . In
other words, the relation

implies a unique limit ψ  H for every Cauchy sequence


or every Cauchy sequence {ψn} belonging to H ,
that is,

Besides these, a Hilbert space satisfies the following


specific properties:
satisfying the condition
Show that for a system of orthonormal vectors
{|φ1, |φ2, |φ3,. . . , |φm, . . .} to be complete, it is
necessary and sufficient that the relation

holds good for arbitrary kets |ψ and |φ.


Hermitian and Unitary
Operators
if an operator is inside the bra, it is replaced by its hermitian
conjugate when taken out of it.
A scalar, however, is simply replaced by its complex conjugate when
taken out of a bra.
the hermitian conjugate of any combination of operators and scalars
by following the rule:

1. Replace any constants by their complex conjugates.


2. Replace kets by their associated bras, and bras by their associated
kets.
Eigen value and Eigen
Function
Change of Basis and Unitary
Transformations
The harmonic oscillator:
• The Hamiltonian for the one-dimensional
harmonic oscillator (a particle of mass m
attached to a spring) is given by

• where x represents the displacement of the


oscillator from the point of equilibrium and ω
is its angular frequency
• The corresponding time-independent Schrodinger
equation
• Our target is to find the energy
eigenvalues and the corresponding bound
state wave functions
• Let us introduce the following operators

• Consider the product


• We get

• Similarly, We have

• and
• Here, firstly two equations (*) and (**) lead to the
following commutation relation between â and a†:

• Secondly, the Schrödinger equation (***) is completely


equivalent to any of the following equations
Assume that φn is an eigenfunction of the Hamiltonian Ĥ
with energy En. Then, â†φn is an eigenfunction of the
Hamiltonian with energy (En+ ħω).
• Assume that φn is an eigenfunction of the Hamiltonian Ĥ
with energy En. Then, âφn is an eigenfunction of the
Hamiltonian with energy (En− ħω).
Thus, while acting on the eigen function φn of Ĥ with
energy En, the operator â lowers the energy by one
unit of ħω, the operator ↠increases the energy by one
unit of ħω.

Hence, if we set out with φn(x), describing the nth


energy state of the oscillator (with energy En), we can
generate all possible states of the oscillator, with
energies higher than En as well as lower than En, by
repeatedly acting on φn(x) with ↠and â, respectively.

 The operators ↠and â are called ladder operators


because they permit us to ascend or descend in
energy.

 The operator ↠is also known as creation operator,


while the operator â is also called annihilation operator.
• However, a paradoxical situation arises if we continue
to act with the annihilation operator infinitely.
• If we do so, eventually we shall reach a state with
energy less than zero, which for the harmonic
oscillator does not exist. Thus, we have the situation
where âφn is a solution of the Schrödinger equation
but the corresponding state does not exist.
• It means that the given procedure fails at some point
or the other.
• What is the way out?

• All what scientist earlier suggests that there must


exist the lowest energy state (lowest rung in the
ladder) whose wave function φ0(x) must satisfy the
equation
where A0 is a constant to be determined and
with the dimensions of length.
• To find the energy of this state, let us put this solution into
the first of the Schrödinger equations (***). We have

• where we have taken into account the fact that âφ0(x)


= 0. Hence, the energy of this state, called the ground
state, is ħω/2.

• Once we have determined the ground state


eigenfunction and energy, we can find the
eigenfunction and the corresponding energy of
any excited state of the oscillator by
successively applying the creation operator to
the ground state wave function.
• For instance, the wave function of the first excited state
is obtained as

Here, the wave function φ1(x) is normalized to unity

• Since, by acting on an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian, the


creation operator increases its energy by one unit of ħω, the
energy of the first excited state is ħω/2+ ħω = 3ħω/2.
• Similarly, we can apply ↠to φ1(x) to get the wave function
of the second excited state φ2(x), and so on and so forth.
• The number operator and the energy eigenfunctions: Let
us introduce an operator =â†â. It is called the occupation
number operator or, simply, the number operator.
• First, we notice that the number operator commutes with
the Hamiltonian:

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