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PHY 314: Introduction To Quantum Mechanics, Varsha 2014 Lectures 11

The quantum harmonic oscillator can be solved using an algebraic method by defining raising and lowering operators (a+ and a-). These operators allow one to build up a "ladder" of stationary states with energies increasing in steps of ~ω (Planck's constant times angular frequency). There is a lowest energy state ψ0 such that a-ψ0 = 0. The energy levels are then En = (n+1/2)~ω, where n=0,1,2,... . The wave functions can be found by applying the raising operator a+ to successive states.

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50 views

PHY 314: Introduction To Quantum Mechanics, Varsha 2014 Lectures 11

The quantum harmonic oscillator can be solved using an algebraic method by defining raising and lowering operators (a+ and a-). These operators allow one to build up a "ladder" of stationary states with energies increasing in steps of ~ω (Planck's constant times angular frequency). There is a lowest energy state ψ0 such that a-ψ0 = 0. The energy levels are then En = (n+1/2)~ω, where n=0,1,2,... . The wave functions can be found by applying the raising operator a+ to successive states.

Uploaded by

Ajay Kaladharan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHY 314: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Varsha 2014

Lectures 11
Anil Shaji
School of Physics, IISER - TVM
(Dated: 08-Sep-2014)
The quantum harmonic oscillator (continued)

In the previous couple of lecture we have found the eigenstates and energy levels of the quantum
Harmonic oscillator by directly solving the Schrodinger equation. Now we look at a much simpler
way of finding the energy levels and associated stationary states.

I.

ALGEBRAIC METHOD

The Hamiltonian for the quantum Harmonic osciallator is





1
1
p2
+ m 2 x2 = ~
m2 2 x2 + p2 .
H=
2m 2
2m~
We notice that H is a homogenous polynomial of degree two in the variables p and q. Strictly
speaking p and q are not variables but they are operators but for a moment we can imagine that
they are ordinary variables and write write down the two factors of H as

1
mx + ip
2m~

1
=
mx ip
2m~

a =

(1)

a+

(2)

We find that
a+ a =


1
m2 2 x2 + p2 + im[x, p] ,
2m~

where [x, p] = i~ is the commutator of x and p. So we have


a+ a =

H
1
,
~ 2

and


1
H = ~ a+ a +
.
2
We can also show that
[a , a+ ] =


1  2 2
m [x, x] + [p, p] im[x, p] + im[p, x] = 1,
2m~

using [x, x] = [p, p] = 1. From the commutator we have a+ a = a a+ 1 and so we have another
expression for H as


1
H = ~ a a+
.
2

2
The time independent Schr
odinger equation in terms of these new operators is


1
~ a+ a +
= E.
2
Given that satisfies this equation, we proceed by asking the question, what about a+ ?





1
~
H a+ = ~ a+ a +
a+ = ~a+ a a+ + a+

2
2



1
= a+ ~ + a+ ~ a+ a +

2

= a+ ~ + H

= (E + ~) a+ .
We find that if is a stationary state with energy E, then a+ is another stationary state with
energy E + ~. With a+ one can build a ladder of stationary states with energies E + n~.
In a similar manner it can be shown that a is also a solution of the time independent
Schrodinger equation with energy E ~. So we expect to find a ladder of states with lower
and lower energies, E n~. But energy cannot be arbitrarily negative. The ladder has to stop
somewhere at a lowest rung. So there must be a state 0 such that
a 0 = 0.
Using Eq. (??) and p = i~/x, we have
0
+ mx0 = 0,
x
This is a simple differential equation that can be solved easily and we find that
~

2 /2~

0 = A0 eimx

From our discussion of the direct method of solving the harmonic oscillator problem, we know that
the normalization is given by


m 1/4
A0 =
.
~
Since a 0 = 0, we have


1
~
H0 = ~ a+ a +
0 =
0 ,
2
2

E0 =

~
.
2

Since each energy level is ~ higher than the previous one, we also have


1
.
En = E0 + n~ = ~ n +
2
Except for the normalization, the wave functions corresponding to the higher energy levels can
be found by the successive application of a+ on 0 . For instance,




m 1/4
1

2
2

1 = A1 a+ 0 = A1
mxemx /2~ ~ emx /2~
~
x
2m~

1/4 r


m
2m mx2 /2~
m 1/4 1 2 /2
e
= A1
xe
= A1
.
~
~
~
2

3
In this particular case, the normalization, A1 , happens to be equal to 1. For the higher states, the
normalization has to be evaluated in addition to applying a+ to the previous state. Once all this
is put in, we again find that

n (x) =

m
~

1/4

p
m 2
1
Hn ( m/~ x)e 2~ x .
2n n!

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