QM1 Exercises. Sheet 3.

Corrections May 22-23

1) Baker-Hausdorff relations. (5 points)

h i hh i i hh i i
Consider the operators  and B̂ with Â, B̂ 6= 0 but Â, B̂ ,  = Â, B̂ , B̂ = 0.
We want to show that:
e eB̂ = eÂ+B̂ e[Â,B̂ ]/2 (1)

Here are some steps you can follow.

a) Consider
Û (τ ) = e−τ Â eτ (Â+B̂) . (2)

Show that
d
Û (τ ) = B̂(τ )Û (τ ) with B̂(τ ) = e−τ Â B̂eτ Â (3)
dτ
τ is of course a real number.
b) Show that
h i
B̂(τ ) = B̂, Â τ + B̂ (4)
d
Hint: Consider dτ
B̂(τ ).
c) With a) and b) prove the validity of Eq. (1).
d) Now show that:
e eB̂ = eB̂ e e[Â,B̂ ] (5)

2) Shrödinger Equation in real space. (5 points)

Consider the Schrödinger equation in Dirac notation:

∂
ı~ |Ψ(t)i = Ĥ|Ψ(t)i, (6)
∂t
2
P
P̂
with Ĥ = 2m
X ). Show that it is equivalent to the Schrödinger equation in real space:
+ V (X̂

∂ ~2
Ψ(xx, t) = −
ı~ x, t) + V (x
∆x Ψ(x x)Ψ(x x, t) (7)
∂t 2m
R
Hint: Use the completeness relation d3x |x xihx
x| = 1 and hxx0 |P̂ x − x0 ) ~i ∇x
xi = δ 3 (x
P |x
3) Two level systems. (5 points)
Consider a quantum mechanical system with two states: |1i and |2i satisfying hn|n0 i = δn,n0
P
(n, n0 = 1, 2) and 2n=1 |nihn| = 1. This could for example correspond to a spin-1/2 degree
of freedom. The Hamilton operator is given by:

Ĥ = σ̂z + J σ̂x . (8)

The matrix representation of σ̂z and σ̂x in the |1i, |2i basis given by:
   
1 0 0 1
σz =   and σx =  . (9)
0 −1 1 0

a) Solve the stationary Schrödinger equation:

Ĥ|Φn i = En |Φn i. (10)

That is, you have to find En and |Φn i for n = 1, 2.

b) Show that the time evolution operator is given by:
X
e−itĤ/~ = e−itEn /~ |Φn ihΦn | (11)
n

c) Compute |Ψ(t)i given the initial condition |Ψ(t = 0)i = |1i.

d) What is the probability at time t to find the system in state |1i?