Quantum mechanics / Alastair I.M. Rae.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rae, Alastair I. M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Quantum theory.

Physical Description:

xx, 328 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

Fifth edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Taylor & Francis, [2008]

Summary:

For more than 25 years, Alastair Rae's Quantum Mechanics has been one of the most highly regarded books in this area. This fifth edition offers a clear exposition of fundamental ideas, additional worked examples of the application of quantum mechanics principles to a range of physical problems, and more information on modern quantum information technology. The text was one of the first to include a substantial discussion of the conceptual and philosophical implications of quantum mechanics, which has been revised and extended in the fifth edition. Other topics covered include one- and three-dimensional Schrodinger equations, angular momentum, time-independent perturbation theory, time dependence, scattering, and relativity.

Features: Covers recent developments as well as the philosophical and theoretical bases of the subject, Incorporates examples of the application of quantum mechanics to physical systems, such as the hydrogen atom, Features a discussion of quantum information, including quantum teleportation and computing, Contains numerous worked examples and figures throughout as well as problems at the end of each chapter, Provides a complementary web page with a bibliography, color illustrations, and links to other relevant sites.

Contents:

1.1 The Photoelectric Effect 2

1.2 The Compton Effect 3

1.3 Line Spectra and Atomic Structure 5

1.4 De Broglie Waves 6

1.5 Wave-Particle Duality 9

1.6 The Rest of this Book 12

2 The one-dimensional Schrodinger equations 15

2.1 The Time-Dependent Schrodinger Equation 15

2.2 The Time-Independent Schrodinger Equation 19

2.3 Boundary Conditions 20

2.4 The Infinite Square Well 21

2.5 The Finite Square Well 25

2.6 Quantum Mechanical Tunnelling 29

2.7 The Harmonic Oscillator 36

3 The three-dimensional Schrodinger equations 43

3.1 The Wave Equations 43

3.2 Separation in Cartesian Coordinates 45

3.3 Separation in Spherical Polar Coordinates 48

3.4 The Hydrogenic Atom 57

4 The basic postulates of quantum mechanics 67

4.1 The Wave Function 68

4.2 The Dynamical Variables 69

4.3 Probability Distributions 75

4.4 Commutation Relations 81

4.5 The Uncertainty Principle 84

4.6 The Time Dependence of the Wave Function 89

4.7 Degeneracy 91

4.8 The Harmonic Oscillator Again 94

4.9 The Measurement of Momentum by Compton Scattering 97

5 Angular momentum I 103

5.1 The Angular-Momentum Operators 104

5.2 The Angular Momentum Eigenvalues and Eigenfunctions 105

5.3 The Experimental Measurement of Angular Momentum 109

5.4 A General Solution to the Angular Momentum Eigenvalue Problem 112

6 Angular momentum II 121

6.1 Matrix Representations 121

6.2 Pauli Spin Matrices 124

6.3 Spin and the Quantum Theory of Measurement 127

6.4 Dirac Notation 130

6.5 Spin-Orbit Coupling and the Zeeman Effect 132

6.6 A More General Treatment of the Coupling of Angular Momenta 140

7 Time-independent perturbation theory and the variational principle 149

7.1 Perturbation Theory for Nondegenerate Energy Levels 150

7.2 Perturbation Theory for Degenerate Levels 156

7.3 The Variational Principle 166

8 Time dependence 173

8.1 Time-independent Hamiltonians 174

8.2 The Sudden Approximation 180

8.3 Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory 182

8.4 Selection Rules 187

8.5 The Ehrenfest Theorem 191

8.6 The Ammonia Maser 192

9 Scattering 199

9.1 Scattering in One Dimension 199

9.2 Scattering in Three Dimensions 205

9.3 The Born Approximation 207

9.4 Partial Wave Analysis 211

10 Many-particle systems 223

10.2 Isolated Systems 224

10.3 Noninteracting Particles 226

10.4 Indistinguishable Particles 227

10.5 Many-Particle Systems 230

10.6 The Helium Atom 235

10.7 Scattering of Identical Particles 241

11 Relativity and quantum mechanics 245

11.1 Basic Results in Special Relativity 245

11.2 The Dirac Equation 246

11.3 Antiparticles 255

11.4 Other Wave Equations 257

11.5 Quantum Field Theory and the Spin-Statistics Theorem 257

12 Quantum information 263

12.1 Quantum Cryptography 264

12.2 Entanglement 268

12.3 Cloning and Teleportation 269

12.4 Quantum Computing 274

13 The conceptual problems of quantum mechanics 285

13.1 The Conceptual Problems 285

13.2 Hidden-Variable Theories 287

13.3 Nonlocality 294

13.4 The Quantum Measurement Problem 305

13.5 The Ontological Problem 320.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781584889700

1584889705

OCLC:

141484769