Ted Corcovilos & Prabha Mandayam Physics 125b HW2 solutions

29 Jan. 2007

Wave packed propagation

Problem
Let the initial wave-function of a one-dimensional particle be given by

(x, 0) =

2
a2

1/4

exp(ik0 x) exp(x2 /a2 ).

Assuming that the particle propagates according to the free Schrodinger Equation, show that
|(x, t)|2 is a gaussian centered at x0 = V0 t, where V0 = hk0 /m. Hint: find the momentum representation of the state and use the fact that each plane-wave component is an energy eigenstate.

Solution
x2

Given, (x, 0) = ( a2 2 )1/4 eiko x e a2 . First we find the momentum space wavefunction as follows:
Z
1

dx(x, 0)eikx
(k, 0) =
2
Z
x2
2
1
= ( 2 )1/4
dxe a2 ei(ko k)x
a
2
2
2 2
a
= ( )1/4 e(kko ) a
2

(1)

which we obtain by changing variables in the integral, completing the square and evaluating the
standard Gaussian integral.
Since the free particle Hamiltonian is a function of momentum alone, the momentum space wavefunction merely picks up a phase factor as it evolves in time.
(k, t) = ei

h
k2 t
2m

(k, 0)

(2)

To obtain the time-evolved function in position space, we simply need to evaluate the inverse Fourier
transform:
Z
(kko )2 a2
i
hk2 t
a2
1
4
(x, t) = ( )1/4
e
e 2m eikx dk
2
2
Z
i
h(y+ko )2 t
y 2 a2
a2 1/4 1
= ( )
e 4 e 2m ei(y+ko )x dy
2
2
Z
2 a2
i
ht
h
wt
a2 1/4 1 ihko2 t iko x
= ( ) e 2m e
ey ( 4 + 2m ) eiy( m x) dy
2
2
h
ko t 2
(x
)

m
i
hko t
2
a
a
ht )
(
+ i
4
2m
q
=
e
eiko (x 2m )
(3)
2
ht
(2)1/4 a2 + i
m
where we have defined y = k ko .
Therefore,

|(x, t)|2 =

a2 ( a4 +

h
2 t2 1/2
m2 )

Thus implying that |(x, t)|2 is a Gaussian centered at

1

h
k0 t 2
(x
)
m
2 t2
a2 + h
2
4
m

h
k0 t
m .

(4)

Ted Corcovilos & Prabha Mandayam Physics 125b HW2 solutions

29 Jan. 2007

Spreading of the wave packet

Problem
With reference to the wave functions of Problem 1 above, find an exact expression for x as a
function of t.

Solution
Recalling that the for the general gaussian function


1 (x )2
1

exp
,
f (x) =
2
2
2 2
q
2
x = hx2 i hxi = ,
we can read off x directly from the expression for |(x, t)|2 in the solution to Problem 1:
s
a2
h2 t2
+ 2 2
x =
4
a m

Interference and time evolution

Problem
Consider two quantum states specified by the following wave functions:


2
a2

1/4

2
a2

1/4

|1 i 1 (x) =

|2 i 2 (x) =



2
exp (x a) /a2 .



2
exp (x + a) /a2 .

Let the state of a one-dimensional particle is given at time t = 0 by

h
i
|(0)i = N |1 i |2 i ,
where N is a normalization constant. Without solving exactly for |(t)i, infer an exact expression

2


for the probability density hx = 0|(t)i to find the particle near x = 0 at an arbitrary time t.
Explain your reasoning.

Solution
Notice that the two wavefunctions 1 and 2 are identical except that they are centered at +a
and a respectively. Therefore (0, 0) = 0 clearly. Since both 1 and 2 are have zero momentum,
the remain centered at a and a for all times. Further, since their standard deviation is the same,
we know from the solution of problem 2 that their spreading rates are the same. This implies that
(0, t) = 0 for all times and so | < x = 0| > |2 = 0 for all t.
We could have reached the same conclusion by noting that since the parity operator commutes with
the Hamiltonian of a free particle, an the parity of the wave function is preserved during evolution.
Since (x, 0) is an odd function, (x, t) is an odd function at all t and so probability to find the
particle at x = 0 is zero.
2

Ted Corcovilos & Prabha Mandayam Physics 125b HW2 solutions

29 Jan. 2007

A look at the literature

Problem
Go to the web page http://prl.aps.org, and retrieve the paper Photon scattering from atoms in
an atom interferometer: coherence lost and regained, by M. S. Chapman et al. (Physical Review
Letters, volume 75, page 3783, 20 November 1995). Spend some time trying to read and understand
this paper, but not more than an hour (unless youre really interested). See if you can follow the
analogy with Feynmans light microscope, which we discussed in class. Do the authors believe that the
loss of fringe contrast in their experiment can be explained by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
alone? Explain. You may also need to consult an optics textbook to find out what a Mach-Zender
interferometer is.

Solution
The authors clearly state that the loss of contrast is not due to the uncertainty principle alone. They
believe part of the effect is caused by quantum entanglement between the photons and atoms. To
verify this, they performed an experiment where they restricted the path of the outgoing photons
using shutters, essentially performing a position measurement on the photons. By correlating the
detected outgoing photons with the outgoing atoms, they were able to reclaim some of the fringe
contrast.