Dirac Notation and Inner Products in Quantum Mechanics

Aravind N
October 8, 2023

1 Dirac Notation for State Vectors

In quantum mechanics, we represent quantum states using **ket** vectors, denoted as |ψ⟩, where |ψ⟩
represents the state of a quantum system. These ket vectors belong to a complex vector space called **ket
space**.

1.1 Ket Space

- **Ket vectors**: These are the fundamental entities in quantum mechanics, representing quantum states.
For example, |ψ1 ⟩, |ψ2 ⟩, etc., represent different quantum states. - **Vector Space**: Ket vectors live in a
vector space where vector addition and scalar multiplication are defined.

2 Dirac Notation for Bra Vectors

For each ket vector, there exists a corresponding **bra vector**, denoted as ⟨ϕ|, where ⟨ϕ| represents the bra
vector associated with the ket |ϕ⟩. These bra vectors belong to a complex vector space called **bra space**.

2.1 Bra Space

- **Bra vectors**: These are the complex conjugates of the ket vectors and represent the dual space of ket
space. - **Vector Space**: Bra vectors also belong to a vector space.

2.2 Inner Products (Bra-Ket Pairing)

The key feature of Dirac notation is the ability to compute inner products, which are also known as **bra-ket
pairings** or simply **bracket**. The inner product between a ket |ψ⟩ and a bra ⟨ϕ| is written as ⟨ϕ|ψ⟩.
It is a complex number that provides information about the similarity or overlap between the two quantum
states.

2.3 Properties of Inner Products

- **Linearity**: The inner product is linear, which means ⟨ϕ|(α|ψ⟩+β|χ⟩) = α⟨ϕ|ψ⟩+β⟨ϕ|χ⟩ for any complex
numbers α and β. - **Hermitian**: The inner product is Hermitian, meaning that ⟨ψ|ϕ⟩∗ = ⟨ϕ|ψ⟩. The
asterisk denotes complex conjugation. - **Orthogonality**: Two quantum states |ψ⟩ and |ϕ⟩ are orthogonal
if their inner product ⟨ψ|ϕ⟩ = 0. - **Normalization**: A quantum state |ψ⟩ is normalized if ⟨ψ|ψ⟩ = 1. This
condition ensures that the probability of finding the system in state |ψ⟩ is unity.

3 Examples and Worked Out Problems

3.1 Example 1: Computing an Inner Product
   
1 0
Given two ket vectors |α⟩ = and |β⟩ = , compute the inner product ⟨α|β⟩.
0 1

1
 **Solution**:
 

0
⟨α|β⟩ = 1 0
1
=1·0+0·1
=0

So, ⟨α|β⟩ = 0, indicating that the states |α⟩ and |β⟩ are orthogonal.

3.2 Example 2: Normalization Condition

Given a ket vector |ψ⟩ = √1 |α⟩ + √i |β⟩, determine if it’s normalized.
2 2
**Solution**:
  
1 i 1 i
⟨ψ|ψ⟩ = √ ⟨α| + √ ⟨β| √ |α⟩ + √ |β⟩
2 2 2 2
1 i i 1
= ⟨α|α⟩ + ⟨α|β⟩ − ⟨β|α⟩ + ⟨β|β⟩
2 2 2 2
1 i i 1
= ·1+ ·0− ·0+ ·1
2 2 2 2
1 1
= + =1
2 2
Since ⟨ψ|ψ⟩ = 1, the state |ψ⟩ is normalized.

4 Intuitive or Real-Life Examples

- **Two-State Quantum System**: Consider a quantum system with two states, such as the spin of an
electron. Ket vectors | ↑⟩ and | ↓⟩ can represent spin-up and spin-down states, respectively. Bra vectors ⟨↑ |
and ⟨↓ | represent their dual states.
- **Probability Amplitudes**: In quantum mechanics, probability amplitudes are computed using inner
products. For example, the probability of finding a particle in a state |ψ⟩ when it’s prepared in a state |ϕ⟩
is given by |⟨ϕ|ψ⟩|2 . This reflects the importance of inner products in calculating probabilities.
- **Quantum Interference**: Quantum interference occurs when probability amplitudes from different
paths interfere either constructively or destructively. Inner products play a crucial role in determining
interference patterns.
- **Normalization**: In real-life quantum systems, the normalization condition ensures that the total
probability of all possible outcomes is 1. This property is vital for quantum probabilities to make physical
sense.

5 Conclusion
These study notes provide a comprehensive overview of Dirac notation, ket space, bra space, inner products,
and their properties in quantum mechanics. They also include examples and worked-out problems to illus-
trate the concepts and their practical applications. Understanding Dirac notation is essential for a deeper
grasp of quantum mechanics and its mathematical framework.