Quantum Mechanics, Fourth Edition

by Rae, Alastair I. M.

• ISBN13: 9780750308397
• ISBN10: 0750308397
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-05-20
• Publisher: Inst of Physics Pub Inc

Summary

This fourth edition of a bestselling textbook covers quantum mechanics for physics undergraduates that have a knowledge of elementary atomic physics as well as researchers of quantum physics. Maintaining the exceptional level of clarity that made previous editions so popular, this edition incorporates a more gradual introduction to the basic postulates, new chapters on relativistic quantum theory and quantum information, Dirac notation, and up-to-date examples, including scanning tunneling microscopy and the direct observation of the Bose-Einstein condensate. The book is supported by a Web page containing a bibliography, color versions of some of the illustrations, and links to other relevant sites.

Author Biography

Alastair Rae is Reader in Quantum Physics at Birmingham University.

Table of Contents

Preface to Fourth Edition	xi
Preface to Third Edition	xiii
Preface to Second Edition	xv
Preface to First Edition	xvii
Introduction	1	(13)
The photoelectric effect	2	(1)
The Compton effect	3	(2)
Line spectra and atomic structure	5	(1)
de Broglie waves	6	(1)
Wave-particle duality	7	(5)
The rest of this book	12	(2)
Problems	13	(1)
The one-dimensional Schrodinger equations	14	(25)
The time-dependent Schrodinger equation	14	(4)
The time-independent Schrodinger equation	18	(1)
Boundary conditions	19	(1)
Examples	20	(7)
Quantum mechanical tunnelling	27	(6)
The harmonic oscillator	33	(6)
Problems	38	(1)
The three-dimensional Schrodinger equations	39	(21)
The wave equations	39	(2)
Separation in Cartesian coordinates	41	(4)
Separation in spherical polar coordinates	45	(8)
The hydrogenic atom	53	(7)
Problems	59	(1)
The basic postulates of quantum mechanics	60	(34)
The wavefunction	61	(1)
The dynamical variables	62	(6)
Probability distributions	68	(6)
Commutation relations	74	(2)
The uncertainty principle	76	(5)
The time dependence of the wavefunction	81	(2)
Degeneracy	83	(3)
The harmonic oscillator again	86	(2)
The measurement of momentum by Compton scattering	88	(6)
Problems	92	(2)
Angular momentum I	94	(15)
The angular-momentum operators	95	(1)
The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions	96	(4)
The experimental measurement of angular momentum	100	(3)
General solution to the eigenvalue problem	103	(6)
Problems	108	(1)
Angular momentum II	109	(25)
Matrix representations	109	(3)
Pauli spin matrices	112	(2)
Spin and the quantum theory of measurement	114	(4)
Dirac notation	118	(1)
Spin-orbit coupling and the Zeeman effect	119	(7)
The strong-field Zeeman effect	121	(1)
Spin-orbit coupling	122	(2)
The weak-field Zeeman effect	124	(2)
A more general treatment of the coupling of angular momenta	126	(8)
Problems	132	(2)
Time-independent perturbation theory and the variational principle	134	(23)
Perturbation theory for non-degenerate energy levels	135	(6)
Perturbation theory for degenerate levels	141	(10)
Nearly degenerate systems	143	(8)
The variational principle	151	(6)
Problems	155	(2)
Time dependence	157	(24)
Time-independent Hamiltonians	158	(5)
The sudden approximation	163	(2)
Time-dependent perturbation theory	165	(5)
Selection rules	170	(4)
The Ehrenfest theorem	174	(2)
The ammonia maser	176	(5)
Problems	179	(2)
Scattering	181	(24)
Scattering in one dimension	181	(5)
Scattering in three dimensions	186	(3)
The Born approximation	189	(4)
Partial wave analysis	193	(12)
Problems	203	(2)
Many-particle systems	205	(21)
General considerations	205	(1)
Isolated systems	206	(2)
Non-interacting particles	208	(1)
Indistinguishable particles	208	(4)
Many-particle systems	212	(4)
The helium atom	216	(7)
Scattering of identical particles	223	(3)
Problems	224	(2)
Relativity and quantum mechanics	226	(15)
Basic results in special relativity	226	(1)
The Dirac equation	227	(6)
Antiparticles	233	(2)
Other wave equations	235	(1)
Quantum field theory and the spin-statistics theorem	235	(6)
Problems	239	(2)
Quantum information	241	(12)
Quantum cryptography	242	(3)
Entanglement	245	(1)
Teleportation	246	(3)
Quantum computing	249	(4)
Problems	252	(1)
The conceptual problems of quantum mechanics	253	(37)
The conceptual problems	253	(2)
Hidden-variable theories	255	(7)
Non-locality	262	(11)
The quantum-mechanical measurement problem	273	(14)
The ontological problem	287	(3)
Problems	288	(2)
Hints to solution of problems	290	(6)
Index	296