1 Exercises S4

1. Let |ψi and |ξi two states in the Hilbert space H

|ψi = 3i|φ1 i − 7i|φ2 i

|ξi = −|φ1 i + 2i|φ2 i

where
hφ1 |φ2 i = hφ2 |φ1 i = 0
hφ1 |φ1 i = hφ2 |φ2 i = 1

(a) Calculate |ψ + ξi, hψ + ξ|

(b) Calculate hψ|ξi, hξ|ψi
(c) Calculate hψ|ψi, hξ|ξi
(d) Show that |ψi and |ξi verify the Schwartz inequality |hψ|ξi|2 ≤
hψ|ψihξ|ξi
(e) Show that |ψi and p |ξi verify the triangle inequality ||ψ + ξ|| ≤ ||ψ|| +
||ξ||, where ||ψ|| = hψ|ψi
Pn
2. Let |φ1 i, |φP
2 i, . . . , |φn i be an othonormal basis and let |ψi = i=1 ci |φi i
n
and |ξi = i=1 di |φi i. Calculate
(a) hψ|ξi
(b) hψ|ψi

3. Let |φ1 i, |φ2 i, . . . , |φn i be an orthonormal basis and

|ψ1 i = 2i|φ1 i + |φ2 i − a|φ3 i + 4|φ4 i

|ψ2 i = 3|φ1 i − i|φ2 i + 5|φ3 i − |φ4 i

Find a, such that |ψ1 i and |ψ2 i are orthogonal.

4. Let |ψi and |ξi be two states in the Hilbert space H

|ψi = −3i|φ1 i + (2 + i)|φ2 i + 4|φ3 i

|ξi = 2|φ1 i + i|φ2 i + (2 − 3i)|φ3 i

where |φ1 i, |φ2 i, |φ3 i is an orthonormal basis.

(a) Write down |ψi, |ξi, hψ|, hξ| in matrix form;
(b) Calculate hψ|ξi, hξ|φi using the matrix form.
(c) Express the outer products |ψihξ|, |ξihψ| in matrix form.

1
2 Homework
H.1 Let |ψi and |ξi two states in the Hilbert space H

|ψi = −3i|φ1 i + (2 + i)|φ2 i + 4|φ3 i

|ξi = 2|φ1 i + i|φ2 i + (2 − 3i)|φ3 i

where |φ1 i, |φ2 i, |φ3 i is an orthonormal basis.

(a) Calculate |ψ + ξi, hψ + ξ|
(b) Calculate hψ|ξi, hξ|ψi
(c) Calculate hψ|ψi, hξ|ξi
(d) Show that |ψi and |ξi verify the Schwartz inequality |hψ|ξi|2 ≤ hψ|ψihξ|ξi
(e) Show that |ψi and p |ξi verify the triangle inequality ||ψ + ξ|| ≤ ||ψ|| +
||ξ||, where ||ψ|| = hψ|ψi
H.2 Let |ψi and |ξi be two states in the Hilbert space H

|ψi = (2 − i)|φ1 i + 2|φ2 i + a|φ3 i − i|φ4 i

|ξi = N (|φ1 i + (i + 1)|φ2 i − |φ3 i)

where |φ1 i, |φ2 i, |φ3 i, |φ4 i is and orthonormal basis. Calculate:

(a) N =?, such that hξ|ξi = 1.
(b) a =?, such that hψ|ξi = 0.
H.3 Show that the matrices:  
2 1
A=
1 2
 
1 1 −1
B = 1 1 1
0 0 2
assume a diagonal form in the bases of their eigenvectors.

3 Supplementary exercises
1. Photons may exist in the either of the following two states, corresponding
to left circular polarization (|Li) and right circular polarization (|Ri):
1
|Li = √ (|~xi − i|~y i)
2
(1)
1
|Ri = √ (|~xi + i|~y i)
2
(a) Show that these two states are orthogonal knowing that |~xi and |~y i
are orthogonal.

2
(b) Let there be a state of arbitrary polarization |ψi = a|~xi + b|~y i. Find
out a0 , b0 such that |ψi = a0 |Li + b0 |Ri
(c) Consider the operators

Ô0 = (|LihL| + |RihR|)

1
Ô1 = (|LihR| + |RihL|)
2
i
Ô2 = (|LihR| − |RihL|)
2
1
Ô3 = (|RihR| − |LihL|)
2

Show that Ôi Ôj = −Ôj Ôi = 2i ijk Ôk

(d) Let there be the polarization filter |ψihψ|, where |ψi was computed
previously. Can it be written as a linear combination of the Ôi op-
erators ? (This would mean that, similarly with the polarization
ket having an expansion in the basis of polarization states, also any
operator may be written as a linear combination of basis operators)