General Information:
Required Textbooks:
S. Gasiorowicz, Quantum Physics, 2nd ed. (Wiley, 1996).
Recommended Textbook:
C. Cohen-Tannoudji, B. Diu, and F. Lalo\"e,
Quantum Mechanics, v. II. (Wiley-Interscience, 1977).
Physics 554 is the continuation of an introductory course in quantum mechanics, namely of Phy 520. The illustrative examples we present are drawn, almost exclusively, from atomic physics, so that this course also serves as an introductory course in atomic physics.
The behavior of physical systems at the nanometer scale is strikingly counterintuitive to those well-versed in the study of classical phenomena. Yet ``strange'' as these systems may be, their behavior can be understood in the context of a theoretical framework with genuine predictive power. It is our continuing mission to investigate the consequences of such a quantum mechanics for physical systems operating at the nanometer scale.
A bevy of texts, of varying sophistication and coverage of applications, exist in the literature. An annotated bibliography of them has been included in the course web site. The above books, as well as selections from the bibliography just mentioned, have been placed on reserve in the Chem-Phys library.
Gasiorowicz, the required text, starts gently and continues to emphasize the empirical ramifications of the quantum phenomena described. The mathematical details are suitably presented, though the text's particular strength is the great number of physical examples it brings to bear. Cohen-Tannoudji et al. is the official "recommended" text; it is more complete than Gasiorowicz and treats the mathematical aspects of quantum mechanics in a careful and extremely clear fashion. The lectures will borrow heavily, though not exclusively, from the required and recommended texts.
Your grade will be determined in the following manner: problem sets (40%), midterm exam (25%), and a final exam (35%). The midterm and final will be in-class, closed book exams, each of two hours in duration.
The bulk of the grade in the course is associated with the problem sets, and rightly so. Working significant problem sets is necessary to develop a genuine understanding of the material. You may discuss the problems with others, and even collaborate, but you are required to write out your solutions independently. The problem sets will be issued in one-two week intervals, and late work will not be accepted.
Course Topics | Spin. (G: Ch. 14) |
|---|
| Systems of identical particles. (G: Ch. 8) White dwarfs. (G: Ch. 9) |
| Addition of Angular Momentum. (G: Ch. 15) |
| Scattering Theory: Phase Shifts; Born Approximation (G: Ch. 10, 23) |
| Time-independent Perturbation Theory (G: Ch. 16) |
| The "real" H-atom: Relativistic corrections; Zeeman and Stark effects. (G: Ch. 17, 13) |
| Helium atom. Variational methods (G: Ch. 18) |
| Structure of atoms and molecules (G: Ch. 19, 20) |
| Radiation and its interaction with matter. (G: Ch. 21,22,24) |
Lecture Schedule The reading assignments and lecture plan will generally be posted ~1 week before the lecture in question. "G" and "C" denote Gasiorowicz and Cohen-Tannoudji et al., respectively.
| Date | Reading | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W Jan. 10. | --- | Course Overview | ||
| M Jan. 15. | Academic Break, MLK Day | |||
| W Jan. 17. | Ch. 10, 11, 14 (G) | Review of Angular Momentum; Spin | ||
| M Jan. 22. | Ch. 14 (G) | Spin | ||
| W Jan. 24. | Ch. 14 (G) | Empirical Evidence for Spin | ||
| M Jan. 29. | Ch. 14; Ch. 8 (p. 150ff) (G) | Paramagnetic Resonance; Identical Particles | ||
| W Jan. 31. | Ch. 8 (p. 150ff) (G) | Identical Particles | ||
| M Feb. 5. | Ch. 8 (p. 150ff); Ch. 9 (G) | Two-Particle Wavefunctions with Spin; the Fermi gas | ||
| W Feb. 7. | Ch. 9; Ch. 15 (G) | Appl. of the Fermi gas; Addition of Angular Momenta | ||
| M Feb. 12. | Ch. 15 (G) | Addition of Angular Momenta | ||
| W Feb. 14. | Ch. 15 (G) | Addition of Angular Momenta | ||
| M Feb. 19. | Ch. 15 (G) | Addition of Angular Momenta | ||
| Wednesday May 2 | FINAL EXAM 8:00AM in CP 183 | |||
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This page was created by Susan Gardner and was last updated on February 16, 2001.