STATIONARY STATES

The general solution is

Take that to

Time-independent Schrdinger equation

We can go no further with it until the
potential V (x) is specified.
What's so great about separable solutions?
After all, most solutions to the (time dependent) Schrodinger
equation do not take the form (x)(t).

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

STATIONARY STATES
Probability density: ,

does not depends on time

A stationary state
Same thing happens in calculating the expectation value of any dynamical
variable:
Every expectation value is
constant in time
= Constant
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

States of definite total energy

In classical mechanics, the total energy
(kinetic plus potential) is called the
Hamiltonian:
In quantum mechanics,
Hamiltonian operator:

Time-independent Schrdinger equation

Expectation value of the total energy is

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

States of definite total energy

Expectation value of the total energy is

Conclusion: A separable solution ((x)(t)) has the property that

every measurement of the total energy is certain to return the value E.
(x) is a state of definite total energy: E(x)
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

General solution
The general solution is a linear combination of separable
solutions.

Where

are states of definite energy

Every solution to the (time-dependent) Schrdinger equation
can be written in this form.
It is simply a matter of finding the right constants(c1, c2. . .. ) so
as to fit the initial conditions for the problem at hand.

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Summary
Given

a (time-independent) potential V(x), and the starting wave

function (x, 0); how to find the wave function, (x, t)
One need to solve
The

first strategy is to solve

This yields, in general, an infinite set of solutions

each with energy (E1, E2, )

Then

find (x, 0);

Construct

(x, t);

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

( 1(x), 2(x), )

Example

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Help session
Wednesday, 5 p.m. MS-420, & MS-418

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

THE INFINITE
SQUARE WELL
Chapter 2.2
Introduction to Quantum
Mechanics (2nd Edition)
David J. Griffiths

THE INFINITE SQUARE WELL

A particle is completely free

Not free at x = 0 and x = a

A classical Analog: A cart on a frictionless horizontal air track, with perfectly
elastic bumpers-it just keeps bouncing back and forth forever.
This potential is artificial-but treat it with respect.

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

THE INFINITE SQUARE WELL

Outside: the probability of
finding the particle is
zero=> =0

Inside the well, where V = 0

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

THE INFINITE SQUARE WELL

Outside: the probability of
finding the particle is
zero=> =0

Inside the well, where V = 0

The general solution is

Arbitrary constants
Typically, these constants are fixed by the boundary conditions of the problem.
What are the appropriate boundary conditions for (x)?

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

THE INFINITE SQUARE WELL

Outside: the probability of
finding the particle is
zero=> =0

Inside the well, where V = 0

The general solution is

Arbitrary constants
Typically, these constants are fixed by the boundary conditions of the problem.
What are the appropriate boundary conditions for (x)?
Both (x) and d(x)/dx are continuous expect for =
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

THE INFINITE SQUARE WELL

The general solution is
Arbitrary constants
Both (x) and d(x)/dx are continuous expect for =
Continuity of (x) requires that: (0) = (a) =0

==> (0) = B=0

==> =

==> = = 0
A = 0 => = 0
trivial-nonnormalizablesolution,

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

= 0
=>
X
The negative solutions give nothing new,
since sin = sin() and we can absorb
the minus sign into A.

Energy Quantization
So the distinct solutions are

Hence the possible values of E:

A quantum particle in the infinite square well cannot have just any
energy-it has to be one of these special allowed values: In contrast to the
classical case.
To find A, we normalize :

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Zero-point energy
The energy of the first eigenvalue
is called the zero-point energy.
It is the lowest possible total energy the particle bound by the
infinite square well potential.
The particle cannot have zero total energy.
The phenomenon is basically a result of the uncertainty principle
Uncertainty in position is a
For the particular case of eigenvalue E1 , the magnitude of the

momentum is 1 = 21 =

It can be moving in either direction.

The actual value of the momentum is uncertain by an amount

2
which is about 21 = 2 =>
= 2

agrees with uncertainty principle

Application example: Helium does not solidify even at the lowest
attainable temperature (1 mK), unless a very high pressure is applied.
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Wave functions

Infinite set of solutions (one for each positive integer n).

Lowest energy:
ground state

First Excited
state

Second Excited
state

They look just like the standing waves on a string of length a

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Important Properties of

1.

2.

3.

They are alternately even and odd, with respect to the

center of the well: is even, is odd, is
even, and so on
As you go up in energy, each successive state has one more
node (zero-crossing): has none (the end points don't
count), has one, has two, and so on.
They are mutually orthogonal:
whenever

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Proof: Mutually orthogonal

In general,

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Important Properties of
4.

They are complete, in the sense that any other

function, f(x), can be expressed as a linear combination
of them:

From mathematics: Fourier series for f(x): Dirichlet's theorem

What is the coefficients cn ?

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics