PHYS3332 Quantum Mechanics / PHYS4351 Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Tutorial 2

1. The Hamiltonian of one quantum system is written as,

H = H0 + H 0

where H 0 is the perturbation. The eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of H0 are ψk0 and Ek0 (k = 1, 2, · · · , n, · · · ),
respectively. Assume that En0 is double degenerated and its corresponding orthonormal eigenfunctions are
0 0
ψna and ψnb . Then we write the matrix elements of perturbation (W-matrix) as,
0
hψna |H 0 |ψk0 i = Hak
0

0
hψnb |H 0 |ψk0 i = Hbk
0

0
hψna |H 0 |ψnb
0 0
i = Hab
0
hψna |H 0 |ψna
0 0
i = Haa = a
0
hψnb |H 0 |ψnb
0 0
i = Hbb = b .

Write down the first- and second-order correction to En0 .

0 0 0
2. Assume Haa = Hbb = 0 and Hab = 0 in the above problem. Write down the first- and second-order
0
correction of En again.

3. Suppose the hydrogen like ion with nuclear charge of Ze is placed in a electric field of E along the
z direction. Show the Stark splitting of the third energy level (n = 3), neglecting the relativistic correction
and the spin-orbit coupling.

4. Higher order degeneracy. If the unperturbed Hamiltonian H0 has an enegy eigenvalue that is n-fold
degenerate, i.e. there are n orthogonal eigenfunctions ψi0 . In the presence of the perturbation H 0 , show that
the first-order corrections to this n-fold degenerate energy are the eigenvalues of the W matrix, where the
matrix elements Wi,j ≡ hψi0 |H 0 |ψj0 i. This is the ”natural” generalization of the case n = 2 discussed in the
lectures.