Quantum Mechanics, Fourth Edition

Continuing the exceptional tradition of the previous editions, Quantum Mechanics, Fourth Edition provides essential information about atomic and subatomic systems and covers some modern applications of the field. Supported by a Web page that contains a bibliography, color versions of some of the illustrations, and links to other relevant sites, the book shows how cutting-edge research topics of quantum mechanics have been applied to various disciplines. It first demonstrates how to obtain a wave equation whose solutions determine the energy levels of bound systems. The theory is then made more general and applied to a number of physical examples. Later chapters describe the connection between relativity and quantum mechanics, give some examples of how quantum mechanics has been used in information processing, and, finally, discuss the conceptual and philosophical implications of the subject. New to the Fourth Edition: A chapter on quantum information processing that includes applications to the encryption and de-encryption of coded messages A chapter on relativistic quantum mechanics and introductory quantum field theory Updated material on the conceptual foundations of quantum physics containing discussions of non-locality, hidden variables, and parallel universes Expanded information on tunneling microscopy and the Bose-Einstein condensate Presenting up-to-date information on the conceptual and philosophical aspects of quantum mechanics, this revised edition is suitable both for undergraduates studying physics, chemistry, or mathematics and for researchers involved in quantum physics.

Table of Contents:
PREFACES INTRODUCTION The photoelectric effect The Compton effect Line spectra and atomic structure De Broglie waves Wave-particle duality The rest of this book THE ONE-DIMENSIONAL SCHRÖDINGER EQUATIONS The time-dependent Schrödinger equation The time-independent Schrödinger equation Boundary conditions Examples Quantum mechanical tunneling The harmonic oscillator THE THREE- DIMENSIONAL SCHRÖDINGER EQUATIONS The wave equations Separation in Cartesian coordinates Separation in spherical polar coordinates The hydrogenic atom THE BASIC POSTULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS The wavefunction The dynamical variables Probability distributions Commutation relations The uncertainty principle The time dependence of the wavefunction Degeneracy The harmonic oscillator again The measurement of momentum by Compton scattering ANGULAR MOMENTUM I The angular-momentum operators The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions The experimental measurement of angular momentum General solution to the eigenvalue problem ANGULAR MOMENTUM II Matrix representations Pauli spin matrices Spin and the quantum theory of measurement Dirac notation Spin-orbit coupling and the Zeeman effect A more general treatment of the coupling of angular momenta TIME-INDEPENDENT PERTURBATION THEORY AND THE VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE Perturbation theory for non-degenerate energy levels Perturbation theory for degenerate levels The variational principle TIME DEPENDENCE Time-independent Hamiltonians The sudden approximation Time-dependent perturbation theory Selection rules The Ehrenfest theorem The ammonia maser SCATTERING Scattering in one dimension Scattering in three dimensions The Born approximation Partial wave analysis MANY-PARTICLE SYSTEMS General considerations Isolated systems Non-interacting particles Indistinguishable particles Many-particle systems The helium atom Scattering of identical particles RELATIVITY AND QUANTUM MECHANICS Basic results in special relativity The Dirac equation Antiparticles Other wave equations Quantum field theory and the spin-statistics theorem QUANTUM INFORMATION Quantum cryptography Entanglement Teleportation Quantum computing THE CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS The conceptual problems Hidden-variable theories Non-locality The quantum-mechanical measurement problem The ontological problem HINTS TO SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS INDEX *Problems appear at the end of each chapter.