Department of Physics

IIT Kanpur, Semester II, 2022-23

PHY114: Quantum Physics Solutions # 8

Solution 8.1: Time-evolution of a state

(a) A particle in the harmonic oscillator potential is in the following superposition state at t = 0:
3 4
ψ(x, 0) = ψ0 (x) + ψ1 (x),
5 5
The state ψ(x, t) at time t is given by
3 4
ψ(x, t) = ψ0 (x)e−iE0 t/~ + ψ1 (x)e−iE1 t/~ ,
5 5
where E0 = ~ω/2 and E1 = 3~ω/2. Therefore, the probability density P (x, t) at time t is:

P (x, t) = ψ ∗ (x, t)ψ(x, t)

9 2 16 12 h i
= ψ0 (x) + ψ12 (x) + ψ0 (x)ψ1 (x) e−i(E0 −E1 )t/~ + e+i(E0 −E1 )t/~
25 25 25
9 2 16 2 24
= ψ (x) + ψ1 (x) + ψ0 (x)ψ1 (x) cos ωt
25 0 25 25

(b) The expectation value of the energy is given by

Z ∞  
∂
hEi = ψ ∗ (x, t) i~ ψ(x, t)dx
−∞ ∂t
Z ∞   
3 iE0 t/~ 4 iE1 t/~ ∂ 3 −iE0 t/~ 4 −iE1 t/~
= ψ0 (x)e + ψ1 (x)e i~ ψ0 (x)e + ψ1 (x)e dx
−∞ 5 5 ∂t 5 5
Z ∞  
3 4 3E0 4E1
= ψ0 (x)eiE0 t/~ + ψ1 (x)eiE1 t/~ ψ0 (x)e−iE0 t/~ + ψ1 (x)e−iE1 t/~ dx
−∞ 5 5 5 5
9E0 ∞ 16E1 ∞
Z Z  Z ∞
2 2 12E0 12E1
= |ψ0 (x)| dx + |ψ1 (x)| dx + + ψ0 (x)ψ1 (x)dx
25 −∞ 25 −∞ 25 25 −∞

The first two integrals are equal to 1, since the wavefunctions are normalized. However, the third integral is equal
to 0, since ψ0 (x)ψ1 (x) is an odd function. Therefore, we get

9E0 + 16E1
hEi =
25

Solution 8.2: Infinite-Well potential dynamics - I

(a) The expectation value for the position of the particle is

Z ∞ Z a
1 a
Z
hx(t)i = Ψ∗1 (x, t)xΨ1 (x, t)dx = ψ1∗ (x)xψ1 (x)dx = x cos2 (k1 x)dx
−∞ −a a −a

1
 We find that x cos2 (k1 x) is an odd function in the range of interest, therefore the above integral is zero. Thus we
get:

hx(t)i = 0

(b) The expectation value for the momentum of the particle is

Z ∞ Z a
i~k1 a
    Z
∗ ∂ ∗ ∂
hp(t)i = Ψ (x, t) −i~ Ψ(x, t)dx = ψ (x) −i~ ψ(x)dx = cos(k1 x) sin(k1 x)dx
−∞ ∂x −a ∂x a −a

We find that cos(k1 x) sin(k1 x) is an odd function in the range of interest, therefore the above integral is zero.
Thus we get:

hp(t)i = 0

(c) We calculate the uncertainty in x as follows:

Z ∞ Z a
1 a 2 1 a 2
Z Z
hx2 (t)i = Ψ∗1 (x, t)x2 Ψ1 (x, t)dx = ψ1∗ (x)x2 ψ1 (x)dx = x cos2 (k1 x)dx = 2x cos2 (k1 x)dx
−∞ −a a −a a 0

Here we have used the fact that x2 cos2 (k1 x) is an even function of x. We now have

1 a 2 1 a 2
Z Z Z a Z a 
1
hx2 (t)i = 2x cos2 (k1 x)dx = x [1 + cos(2k1 x)]dx = x2 dx + x2 cos(2k1 x)dx
a 0 a 0 a 0 0

Integrating the second integral by parts, we get,

a
1 x3 x2 sin(2k1 x) 2 cos(2k1 x) sin(2k1 x) 1 a3 a2 sin(2k1 a) 2 cos(2k1 a) sin(2k1 a)
  
hx2 (t)i = + + − = + + −
a 3 2k1 2k12 4k13 0 a 3 2k1 2k12 4k13

Substituting for k1 , we obtain

 
1 2
hx2 (t)i = a2 − 2
3 π

Therefore,
 1/2
p 1 2
∆x(t) = hx2 (t)i − hx(t)i2 = a −
3 π2

(d) The uncertainty in p is calculated as follows:

∞ 2
~2 k12 a ~2 k12 a
Z  Z Z
∂
2
hp (t)i = Ψ∗1 (x, t)
−i~ Ψ1 (x, t)dx = 2
cos (k1 x)dx = [1 + cos(2k1 x)]dx
−∞ ∂x a −a a 0
a
~2 k12 ~2 k12 ~2 π 2

sin(2k1 x)
= x+ = [a] = ~2 k12 =
a 2k1 0 a 4a2

Therefore,
p ~π
∆p(t) = hp2 (t)i − hp(t)i2 =
2a

(e) The uncertainty product is

1/2 1/2
~ π2
 
1 2 ~π ~
∆x(t)∆p(t) = a − = −2 >
3 π2 2a 2 3 2

2
Solution 8.3: Infinite-Well potential dynamics - II
R∞
(a) We need to verify that the wave-function is normalized, that is: −∞ Ψ∗ (x, t)Ψ(x, t)dx = 1. We have
∞
1h ∞ ∗
Z Z Z ∞
Ψ∗ (x, t)Ψ(x, t)dx = Ψ1 (x, t)Ψ1 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)Ψ2 (x, t)dx
−∞ 2 −∞ −∞
Z ∞ Z ∞ i
+ Ψ∗1 (x, t)Ψ2 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)Ψ1 (x, t)dx
−∞ −∞

Since Ψ∗1 (x, t) and Ψ∗2 (x, t) are normalized, we get.

Z ∞  Z ∞ Z ∞ 
1
Ψ∗ (x, t)Ψ(x, t)dx = 1+1+ Ψ∗1 (x, t)Ψ2 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)Ψ1 (x, t)dx
−∞ 2 −∞ −∞
1

1  −i(E1 −E2 )t/~ Z a 
= 1+1+ e + ei(E1 −E2 )t/~ cos(k1 x) sin(k2 x)dx
2 a −a
R∞
Since cos(k1 x) sin(k2 x) is an odd function of x, we get, −∞ Ψ∗ (x, t)Ψ(x, t)dx = 12 [1 + 1 + 0 + 0] = 1. Thus, we
see that the given wave-function is normalized.
(b) The expectation value for position hx(t)i is:
Z ∞
1h ∞ ∗
Z Z ∞
hx(t)i = Ψ∗ (x, t)xΨ(x, t)dx = Ψ1 (x, t)xΨ1 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)xΨ2 (x, t)dx
−∞ 2 −∞ −∞
Z ∞ Z ∞ i
+ Ψ∗1 (x, t)xΨ2 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)xΨ1 (x, t)dx
−∞ −∞

For the first two integrals, the integrands are odd functions of x and thus there will be no contribution due to
these terms. The above expectation can now be written as:
Z a Z ∞ 
1 ∗ ∗
hx(t)i = Ψ (x, t)xΨ2 (x, t)dx + Ψ2 (x, t)xΨ1 (x, t)dx
2 −a 1 −∞
 
1 1 −i(E1 −E2 )t/~ Z a 
i(E1 −E2 )t/~
= e +e x cos(k1 x) sin(k2 x)dx
2 a −a
 Z a 
1
= cos[(E2 − E1 )t/~] x cos(k1 x) sin(k2 x)dx
a −a
 Z a  πx  
1  πx 
= cos[(E2 − E1 )t/~] x cos sin dx
a −a 2a a
32a2 3~π 2 t
 
1 32a
= cos[(E2 − E1 )t/~] 2 = cos
a 9π 9π 2 8ma2

3
(c) The expectation value of energy hE(t)i is given as
Z ∞
1h ∞ ∗
Z Z ∞
∂ ∂
hE(t)i = Ψ∗ (x, t)E(t)Ψ(x, t)dx = Ψ1 (x, t)(i~ )Ψ1 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)(i~ )Ψ2 (x, t)dx
−∞ 2 −∞ ∂t −∞ ∂t
Z ∞ Z ∞
∂ ∂ i
+ Ψ∗1 (x, t)(i~ )Ψ2 (x, t)dx + Ψ∗2 (x, t)(i~ )Ψ1 (x, t)dx
−∞ ∂t −∞ ∂t
Z ∞ Z ∞
1h
= E1 Ψ∗1 (x, t)Ψ1 (x, t)dx + E2 Ψ∗2 (x, t)Ψ2 (x, t)dx
2 −∞ −∞
Z ∞ Z ∞ i
+ E2 Ψ∗1 (x, t)Ψ2 (x, t)dx + E1 Ψ∗2 (x, t)Ψ1 (x, t)dx
−∞ −∞

The first two integrals are unity because of the fact that the wave-functions are normalized. The last two integrals
involve teh odd function cos(k1 x) sin(k1 x) as integrands and therefore the contribution due to these two terms
are zero. Thus we have hE(t)i = (E1 + E2 )/2.

Problem 8.4: Propagator Basics - I

(a) The state |ψ(t)i of the particle at time t is calculated using the propagator algebra as

|ψ(t)i = Û (t, t0 )|ψ(t0 )i,

where |ψ(t0 )i is the state at time t0 . The propagator for the simple harmonic oscillator potential is given as
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 )
Û (t, t0 ) = |ψn ihψn | exp − ,
n=0
~

where |ψn i represents the state at time t = 0. For the given state |ψi = |ψm i, the state |ψ(t)i at time t is
∞  
X iEn t
|ψ(t)i = Û (t, 0)|ψm i = |ψn ihψn | exp − |ψm i,
n=0
~

Using the orthonormality condition of the simple harmonic oscillator solution, that is, using hψm |ψn i = δmn , we
get
∞  
X iEn t
|ψ(t)i = |ψn i exp − hψn |ψm i
n=0
~
∞  
X iEn t
= |ψn i exp − δmn
n=0
~
 
iEm t
= |ψm i exp − ≡ |ψm (t)i,
~

(b) For the given state |ψ(t0 )i, the state |ψ(t)i of the particle at time t is
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 ) 1
|ψ(t)i = Û (t, t0 )|ψ(t0 )i = |ψn ihψn | exp − √ [|ψ2 (t0 )i + |ψ3 (t0 )i],
n=0
~ 2

We have from the above solution |ψ2 (t0 )i = |ψ2 ie−iE2 t0 /~ and |ψ3 (t0 )i = |ψ3 ie−iE3 t0 /~ . Therefore, we can write
the above equation as
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 ) 1
|ψ(t)i = |ψn ihψn | exp − √ [|ψ2 ie−iE2 t0 /~ + |ψ3 ie−iE3 t0 /~ ],
n=0
~ 2

4
 Using the orthonormality of the basis vectors, hψm |ψn i = δmn , we get
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 ) 1
|ψ(t)i = |ψn i exp − √ [hψn |ψ2 ie−iE2 t0 /~ + hψn |ψ3 ie−iE3 t0 /~ ]
n=0
~ 2
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 ) 1
= |ψn i exp − √ [δn2 e−iE2 t0 /~ + δn3 e−iE3 t0 /~ ]
n=0
~ 2
   
iE2 (t − t0 ) 1 −iE2 t0 /~ iE3 (t − t0 ) 1 −iE3 t0 /~
= |ψ2 i exp − √ e + |ψ3 i exp − √ e
~ 2 ~ 2
1 −iE2 t/~ −iE3 t/~
= √ [|ψ2 ie + |ψ3 ie ], .
2
And in terms of the initial basis wave-functions we can rewrite the above equation as
1
|ψ(t)i = √ [|ψ2 (t0 )ie−iE2 (t−t0 )/~ + |ψ3 (t0 )ie−iE3 (t−t0 )/~ ],
2
The position basis representation of the wave-function is
1
ψ(x, t) = √ [ψ2 (x, t0 )e−iE2 (t−t0 )/~ + ψ3 (x, t0 )e−iE3 (t−t0 )/~ ],
2

(c) We have
∞  
X iEn (t − t0 )
Û (t, t0 ) = |ψn ihψn | exp − ,
n=0
~

Therefore, we can write,

∞  
†
X iEn (t − t0 )
Û (t, t0 ) = |ψn ihψn | exp + ,
n=0
~

Thus
∞ X
∞    
X iEn (t − t0 ) iEm (t − t0 )
Û (t, t0 )Û † (t, t0 ) = |ψn ihψn |ψm ihψm | exp − exp +
n=0 m=0
~ ~
∞ X ∞  
X i(En − Em )(t − t0 )
= |ψn ihψn |ψm ihψm | exp −
n=0 m=0
~
∞ X ∞  
X i(En − Em )(t − t0 )
= |ψn iδnm hψm | exp −
n=0 m=0
~
∞  
X i(En − En )(t − t0 )
= |ψn ihψn | exp −
n=0
~
∞
X
= |ψn ihψn |
n=0
=I

In deriving the final result, we have used the condition for the orthonormality
P∞ of the basis vectors, that is,
hψn |ψm i = δnm and the condition for completeness of the basis, that is n=0 |ψn ihψn | = I. Thus we find that
the propagator is indeed a unitary operator.

Solutions 8.5: Propagator Basics - II

5
(a) Since |ψn i form a complete basis, an arbitrary initial state |ψi can be represented in terms of them, that is,
X
|ψi = cn |ψn i where cn = hψn |ψi
n

We know that if |ψn i is the stationary state at t = 0 then the stationary state at time t is given by |ψn ie−iEn t/~ .
Therefore, the state |ψi at time t can be written as
X
|ψ(t)i = cn |ψn ie−iEn t/~
n
X
= hψn |ψi|ψn ie−iEn t/~
n
X
= |ψn ihψn |ψie−iEn t/~
n
X
= |ψn ihψn |e−iEn t/~ |ψi
n

This is the propagation equation. Therefore the expression for the propagator is:
X
Û (t, 0) = |ψn ihψn |e−iEn t/~
n

(b) The propagator in the position basis can be written as

X
hx|Û (t, 0)|x0 i = hx| |ψn ihψn |e−iEn t/~ |x0 i
n
X
or, U (x, t; x0 , 0) = hx|ψn ihψn |x0 ie−iEn t/~
n
X
0
or, U (x, t; x , 0) = ψn (x)ψn∗ (x0 )e−iEn t/~
n

(c) The propagator equation can be written in the position basis as follows:
Z
|ψ(t)i = Û (t, 0)|x0 ihx0 |ψidx0
Z
or, hx|ψ(t)i = hx|Û (t, 0)|x0 ihx0 |ψidx0
Z
or, ψ(x, t) = U (x, t; x0 , 0)ψ(x0 )dx0

Solutions 8.6: Two-level system

(a) Since Ĥ is a diagonal matrix, its diagonal entries are the eigenvalues. So, we
 have
 E1 = ~ω and  E2 = 2~ω as the
1 0
two eigenvalues and the corresponding normalized eigenvectors are |ψ1 i = and |ψ2 i =
0 1

(b) The required expectation values are

   
1
~ω 0 1 1 3
hE(0)i = hψ(0)|Ĥ|ψ(0)i = √ 1 1 √ = ~ω
2 0 2~ω 2 1 2
   
1
0 µ 1 1
hA(0)i = hψ(0)|Â|ψ(0)i = √ 1 1 √ =µ
2 µ 0 2 1

6
(c) The propagator Û (t, 0) can be written as

e−iωt
     
−iωt −2iωt 1
−iωt 0
−2iωt 0
Û (t, 0) = |ψ1 ihψ1 |e + |ψ2 ihψ2 |e = 1 0 e + 0 1 e =
0 1 0 e−2iωt

(d) The state |ψ(t)i at time t can be calculated as

 −iωt     −iωt 
e 0 1 1 1 e
|ψ(t)i = Û (t, 0)|ψ(0)i = √ =√
0 e−2iωt 2 1 2 e −2iωt

The required expectation values are

   −iωt 
1 iωt 2iωt

~ω 0 1 e 3
hE(t)i = hψ(t)|Ĥ|ψ(t)i = √ e e √ −2iωt = ~ω
2 0 2~ω 2 e 2
   −iωt   −2iωt 
1 iωt 2iωt

0 µ 1 e 1 iωt 2iωt

1 µe
hA(t)i = hψ(t)|Â|ψ(t)i = √ e e √ −2iωt = √ e e √
2 µ 0 2 e 2 2 µe−iωt
µ
= (e−iωt + eiωt ) = µ cos(ωt)
2

Solutions 8.7: Young’s double-slit type effect in time

Suppose that the position-space wavefunction of a particle is

       
R+d R−d R−d R+d
ψ(x, 0) = A; if − <x<− and <x<
2 2 2 2
= 0; otherwise.

Here d is the size of each slit and R > 2d is the distance between the slits.

(a) Normalizing the wave function, we get,

Z ∞
ψ ∗ (x)ψ(x)dx = 1
−∞
Z −( R−d
2 )
Z ( R+d
2 )
or, A2 dx + A2 dx = 1
−( R+d
2 ) ( R−d
2 )

or, A2 × 2d = 1
r
1
or, A=
2d
To calculate the mean velocity, we first calculate the mean momentum at t = 0, which is given by:
Z ∞  
∂
hp(0)i = ψ ∗ (x) −i~ ψ(x)dx = 0
−∞ ∂x

Therefore, the mean velocity with which the wave-function is moving is 0.

(b) The plot of the probability density is as shown below:
(c) In order to calculate the momentum probability density, we need to first calculate the momentum-space wave-

7
 P (x, 0)

1/2d

d d x
R

function ψ(p, 0), which is:

Z ∞
1
ψ(p, 0) = √ e−ipx/~ ψ(x, 0)dx
2π~ −∞
−( R−d ( R+d
"Z #
2 ) 2 )
Z
A −ipx/~ −ipx/~
=√ e dx + e dx
2π~ −( R+d
2 ) ( R−d
2 )
   
A d R
=√ dsinc p 2 cos p
2π~ 2~ 2~

Therefore, the momentum probability density is

   
∗ d d R
P (p, 0) = ψ (p, 0)ψ(p, 0) = sinc2 p cos 2
p
π~ 2~ 2~

(d) The propagator equation can be written as

Z ∞
ψ(x, t) = U (x, t; x0 , 0)ψ(x0 , 0)dx0 ,
−∞
Z ∞
im(x − x0 )2
 
m 1/2
= exp − ψ(x0 , 0)dx0
−∞ 2πi~t 2~t
Z ∞
imx2 imx02
 m 1/2     
imx 0
= exp − exp − exp x ψ(x0 , 0)dx0
2πi~t 2~t −∞ 2~t ~t
2
0
In the long-time limit, we have t  mR 2~ . The function ψ(x , 0) is non-zero only from −R/2 to R/2, and so
the effective range of integration is only from −R/2 to R/2. Now, we note that within this range the function
imx02

2
exp − ≈ 1, if t  mR
2~ . Thus, in the long-time limit the above equation can be written as
2~t
Z ∞
imx2
 m 1/2   
imx 0
ψ(x, t) = exp − exp x ψ(x0 , 0)dx0 ,
2πi~t 2~t −∞ ~t

(e) In order to calculate the long-time limit position probability density we first have to calculate the position-space
wavefunction ψ(x, t) at time t, which is:
Z ∞
imx2
 m 1/2   
imx 0
ψ(x, t) = exp − exp x ψ(x0 , 0)dx0 .
2πi~t 2~t −∞ ~t

8
 mx
Inside the integral, substitute α = . We then get
~t
Z ∞
imx2
 m 1/2 
0
ψ(x, t) = exp − eiαx ψ(x0 , 0)dx0 ,
2πi~t 2~t −∞
 "Z −( R−d ) Z ( R+d #
2 2 )
 m 1/2 
imx 2
iαx0 iαx0
=A exp − e dx + e dx
2πi~t 2~t −( R+d
2 ) ( R−d
2 )

imx2
 m 1/2      
αd αR
=A exp − 2dsinc cos
2πi~t 2~t 2 2
 1/2  2
    
md imx md mR
= exp − sinc x cos x
πi~t 2~t 2~t 2~t

Therefore, the long-time limit position probability density is given by

     
md md mR
P (x, t) = ψ ∗ (x, t)ψ(x, t) = sinc2 x cos2 x
π~t 2~t 2~t

(f ) Comparing the two probability densities, we find that the momentum probability density P (p, 0 at t = 0 and the
far-time limit position probability density P (x, t) have precisely the same functional form. So, what one observes
as the far-time limit position probability density is indeed the momentum probability density at t = 0.
(g) Below is the plot for the far-time limit position probability density P (x, t) as a function of x. Here, we have taken
m 4π~t
~t = 1; d = 1 mm; R = 8 mm. The fringe period is equal to mR and the first zero of the sinc function will
2π~t
appear at x = ±
md

P(x,t)

0 x