Tentative Syllabus
Phy4605, Quantum Mechanics II
Spring 2005
• Instructor:
Peter Hirschfeld, NPB 2156, Professor of Physics with interests in theory of superconductivity and matter at
low temperatures.
Office Hours: Wed. 6th period (12:50), Thurs. 4th. (10:40) Appointments will gladly be scheduled for those
students who cannot make official hours.
• Text: D. Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd edition Prentice-Hall, 2005
• Other Recommended Texts:
1. P.J.E. Peebles, Quantum Mechanics Princeton University Press, 1992.
2. S. Gasiorowicz, Quantum Physics, J. Wiley, 3rd edition, 2003.
3. R. Dicke and Wittke, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Addison-Wesley, 19??.
4. C. Cohen-Tanoudji, B. Diu, and F. Laloe;, Quantum Mechanics, Wiley, 1977.
5. A. Messiah, Quantum Mechanics, North-Holland, 1961.
6. R. Shankar, Principles of Quantum Mechanics, Plenum, 1994.
Other Supplementary Texts:
1. R.P.Feynman, R. B. Leighton and M. Sands, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, California Institute of
Technology, 1966, VIII.
2. M. Horbatsch, Quantum Mechanics Using Maple, Springer, 1995
• Course Description:
Second semester of an introduction to the quantum theory, as formulated in the 1920’s and 1930’s by Born,
Bohr, Schrdinger, Heisenberg, Dirac and others. Foundations of measurement theory, methods of quantummechanical perturbation and scattering theory. Applications of quantum mechanics to atomic, condensed
matter, and particle physics. Special topics to be decided by class together with me.
• Prerequisites:
PHY4604, plus one year of general physics with calculus, or permission from a department undergraduate
advisor is required. It is recommended -but not required-that before taking PHY4604, students take Physics
C, complete the calculus sequence, and have had some exposure to ordinary differential and partial differential
equations, as well as matrix/linear algebra.
• Required Work:
Homework:
The weekly problem sets represent by far the most important element of the course, and where you will learn
the most. I encourage you to work on them in groups if you like; the problems will occasionally be difficult and
may require more than one head! However, be convinced in the depths of your soul that letting others do the
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work for you will lead to disaster at test time. A good technique for many students is to try all the problems
individually, then get together in a group for the tough ones.
Problem sets will be handed out every Monday, and be due the following Monday. Some (not all) will contain
problems which are to be solved using Maple (see below). Each problem set will be worth a total of 10 points,
and your grade will decay 4 points for the first day it is late after the solutions are posted, plus a further
1/2 a point for each subsequent week. I will drop the lowest two homework grades at the end of the course.
My goal will be to hand the problem sets back Monday one week after receiving them, but occasionally other
considerations will interfere, and I ask for your understanding.
Tests:
There will be three in-class tests and a final examination. The lowest absolute score of the 3 tests or the final
will be dropped. Due to this policy, no makeup tests will be allowed.
You must bring writing instruments and a student identification card with a photo for all tests and the final.
All necessary paper will be provided, and calculators will not be allowed or needed.
In-class test 1
NPB 1002, Wed., Feb. 9
In-class test 2
NPB 1002, Fri., Mar. 11
In-class test 3
NPB 1002, Fri., Apr. 8
Take-home final Mon., Apr. 18– due Fri., Apr. 22
Term paper:
An optional (“extra credit”) library/research paper, topic to be decided in consultation with me, will be due
at the end of the semester. A typed one-page outline and tentative bibliography must be submitted by Feb.
25, or this paper cannot be turned in for credit. Paper must a) thoroughly review an application of quantum
mechanics not covered in standard textbooks; or b) present a “research-style” calculation of an advanced
quantum mechanics problem, using analytical, numerical, or symbolic (e.g., Maple) methods; or c) design a
new quantum mechanics experiment for the undergraduate laboratory.
Grading Policy:
The various components of your final grade will be weighted as follows:
– Tests 1,2,3 & final after 1 drop: 50%
– Homework: 50%
– * Optional term paper: +10% extra credit
There will be no “extra credit” (apart from the term paper) under any circumstances.
Letter grades will be assigned according to a ”curved” distribution. However, the following minimum scores
will guarantee the following grades: 85-A, 80-B+, 72-B, 65-C+, 60-C, 55-D+, 50-D. For example, depending
on the ”curve”, a score of 72% may be sufficient for a B+. Your actual raw percentage score should not be
compared to those you receive in other courses. Because physics involves very different kinds of skills from other
science and mathematics courses, even very good students will generally not solve all parts of most problems
correctly. Demonstrating that you understand a problem even if you cannot solve all its parts will result in
partial credit.
If you feel your test has been unfairly or improperly graded, you are welcome to present your test booklet
for regrading. However, the entire exam is then subject to regrading, and the final grade may be lower! You
are responsible for all material covered in the textbook and in lecture, including any announcements made or
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special handouts distributed in lecture. If you must be absent during a given lecture, check with a friend to
make sure you know what was covered.
Makeup policy: Since the policy of dropping tests and homeworks is very generous, no makeups are allowed.
Maple Problems:
Problem sets will occasionally include exercises using the symbolic manipulation program Maple. I will try to
avoid problems which involve huge investments of time learning Maple commands or techniques, but may use
assignments to teach aspects of Maple I consider particularly worthwhile.
How to succeed in Physics 4605:
– It is expected that a successful student in this course will invest at least twelve hours of studying and
problem-solving per week outside of class. Do not expect a good grade if you are not prepared to work
this much.
– Read the assigned text before coming to lecture. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized.
– Study with your fellow students.
– Get help if necessary. The physics student services office maintains a list of well-qualified tutors.
• World Wide Web page
Course announcements, schedule, homework & solutions, as well as reviews of lectures and this syllabus in
its entirety will be posted at http://www.phys.ufl.edu/∼pjh/teaching/phy4605/. I will in addition post
grades and some materials on WebCT, and students can use this facility to post and discuss questions and
comments on the course.
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PHY4605--Course Schedule Spring 2004
Week
Jan. 3
Topic(s)
Measurement Theory
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•
Superposition
Collapse of wave function
Reading
Homework
Notes
PH Notes,
Ch. 12
None
Measurement
PH Notes,
Ch. 12
Prob. Set 1
PH Notes
Prob. Set 2
PH Notes
Prob. Set 3
Ch. 6
Prob. Set 4
TIPT1
Ch. 5,7
None
TIPTII
-
-
-
Ch. 5,7
Prob. Set 5
Atomic1
Ch. 5,7
Prob. Set 6
AtomicII
Measurement Theory II
Jan. 10
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•
•
Role of observer
Paradoxes: EPR, etc.
“Resolution of paradoxes”
Charged Particle in Magnetic Field
Jan. 17
MLK B'day
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•
Review of classical problem of particle in
magnetic field
Gauge invariance
Landau
Charged Particle in Magnetic Field II
Jan. 24
•
•
•
Bohm-Aharonov effect
Landau levels
Integer Quantum Hall effect
Time-ind. Perturbation Theory I
Jan. 31
•
•
•
Small perturbation of a quantum system
DC Stark effect (quadratic)
Degenerate perturbation theory
Time-ind. Perturbation Theory II
Feb. 7
Feb. 9
Feb. 14
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•
•
Fine structure
Hyperfine interaction
21 cm line in H
Test 1: Measurement, Charge in B-field
Atomic Structure I
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•
•
•
Variational principle
Ground state of He
He excited states
Pauli revisited
Atomic Sructure II
Feb. 21
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•
Atomic structure systematics
Be-C sequence
•
Feb. 25
Feb. 28
Mar. 7
Mar. 11
Mar. 14
H2 molecule
Term paper outlines due
Spring Break
Time-dependent Pert. Thy. I
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•
•
Two-level system
Stimulated emission
Fermi Golden Rule
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-
Ch. 9
None
TDPTI
Ch. 9
Prob. Set 7
TDPTII
Ch. 11
Prob. Set 8
ScatterI
Ch. 11
Prob. Set 9
ScatterII
Ch. 11
None
ScatterIII
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-
PH Notes
None
Test 2: Time-ind. Pert. Thy., Atomic structure
Time-dependent Pert. Thy. II
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•
Spontaneous decay--Einstein argument
Decay of excited hyperfine state in H
Scattering Theory I
Mar. 21
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•
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•
Kinematics of scattering
Optical theorem
Born approx. (weak scatt.)
Low energy limit
Scattering Theory II
Mar. 28
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•
•
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Central force & pseudopotential
Coulomb scattering
Partial wave expansion
s-wave scattering
Hard spheres
Scattering Theory III
Apr. 4
Apr. 8
Apr. 11
Apr. 15
Apr. 18
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•
•
Absoprption
Resonant scattering
t-matrix
Test 3: Time-dep. pert. thy., scatt. thy
Quantum Computing
Term papers due
Take –home final due Fri., Apr. 22
QuantumComp