PHYS851 Quantum Mechanics I, Fall 2009

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 3: Solutions

Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics

P
1. [10pts] The trace of an operator is defined as T r{A} = m hm|A|mi, where {|mi} is a suitable basis
set.

(a) Prove that the trace is independent of the choice of basis.

Answer:
Let {|mi} and {|em i}
Pbe two independent
P basis sets for our Hilbert space.
We must show that m hem |A|em i = m hm|A|mi.
Proof:

X X
hem |A|em i = hem |m ihm |A|m ihm |em i (1)
m mm m
X
= hm |em ihem |m ihm |A|m i (2)
mm m
X
= hm |m ihm |A|m i (3)
m m
X
= m m hm |A|m i (4)
m m
X
= hm |A|m i (5)
m
X
= hm|A|mi (6)
m

(b) Prove the linearity of the trace operation by proving T r{aA + bB} = aT r{A} + bT r{B}.

Answer:

X
T r{aA + bB} = hm|aA + bB|mi (7)
m
X
= (ahm|A|mi + bhm|B|mi) (8)
m
X X
= a hm|A|mi + b hm|B|mi (9)
m m
= a T r{A} + b T r{B} (10)

1
(c) Prove the cyclic property of the trace by proving T r{ABC} = T r{BCA} = T r{CAB}.

Answer:
First, if T r{ABC} = T r{BCA} then it follows that T r{BCA} = T r{CAB}, so we need only
prove the first identity.

X
T r{ABC} = hm|ABC|mi (11)
m
X
= hm|A|m ihm |B|m ihm |C|mi (12)
mm m
X
= hm |C|mihm|A|m ihm |B|m i (13)
mm m
= T r{CAB} (14)

2
2. Consider the system with three physical states {|1i, |2i, |3i}. In this basis, the Hamiltonian matrix
is:
1 2i 1
H = 2i 2 2i (15)
1 2i 1
Find the eigenvalues {1 , 2 , 3 } and eigenvectors {|1 i, |2 i, |3 i} of H. Assume that the initial
state of the system is |(0)i = |1i. Find the three components h1|(t)i, h2|(t)i, and h3|(t)i. Give
all of your answers in proper Dirac notation.

Answer:
The eigenvalues are solutions to
det |H ~I| = 0 (16)
Taking the determinate in Mathematica gives

4 + 4 2 3 = 0 (17)

which factorizes as
( 2 4 4) = 0 (18)
which has as its solutions
1 = 2(1 2) (19)
2 = 0 (20)

3 = 2(1 + 2) (21)
the corresponding eigenvectors are
1
|1 i = (|1i + 2i|2i + |3i) (22)
2
1
|2 i = (|1i + |3i) (23)
2
1
|3 i = (|1i 2i|2i + |3i) (24)
2
The components of |(t)i are found via |(t)i = eiHt |(0)|i, giving
1 
h1|(t)i = 2 + ei2(1 2)t + ei2(1+ 2)t (25)
4
i  
h2|(t)i = ei2(1 2)t ei2(1+ 2)t (26)
2 2
1 
h3|(t)i = 2 + ei2(1 2)t + ei2(1+ 2)t (27)
4
The mathematic script I used to work this problem is on the following page:

3
4
3. Cohen-Tannoudji: pp 203-206: problems 2.2, 2.6, 2.7
2.2 (a) The operator y is hermitian:
     
0 i 0 i 0 i
y = = = = y (28)
i 0 i 0 i 0
We find the eigenvalues via det |y I| = 0:
 
 i
 = 2 1 = 0

det  (29)
i 

The solutions are = 1 and = 1.

Let the corresponding eigenvectors be |+i and |i, so that
y |i = |i. (30)
Hit this equation with the bra h1| and insert the projector onto the {|1i, |2i} basis:
(h1|y |1i 1) h1|i h1|y |2ih2|i = 0 (31)
inserting the values of the matrix elements of y then gives:
h1|i + ih2|i = 0 (32)
a non-normalized solution is then
h1|i = i (33)
h2|i = 1 (34)
the normalized eigenvectors are then given, up to arbitrary overall phase-factors, by
1
|+i = (i|1i |2i) (35)
2
1
|i = (i|1i + |2i) (36)
2
(b) The projectors are given by I = |ih|. In matrix form, in the {|1i, |2i} basis, these are
 
h1|ih|1i h1|ih|2i
I = (37)
h2|ih|1i h2|ih|2i
i i i 1
!

= 2 2 2 2 (38)
1
i 1
1
2 2 2 2
1 i
 
2 2
= 1 (39)
2i 2
2 = I and I + I = I:
we need to show that I +
 1 i   1 i 
2 2 2 2 2
I = i 1 i 1 (40)
 21 12 i
2
i
2

4 + 4 4 4
= 1 1 (41)
4i 4i +
 1 i
4 4
2 2
= 1 (42)
2i 2
= I (43)

5
 1 1
2i + 2i
   
I+ + I = 2 + 2 (44)
1 1
+ 2i 2 2i 2
1
+ 21 2i + 2 i
 
= 2 (45)
1 1
+ 2i
2i 2 + 2
 
1 0
= (46)
0 1
= I (47)

(c) The results for M and Ly are attached.

6
2_2M.nb 1

H* Enter the matrix M *L

M = 882, I Sqrt@2D<, 8-I Sqrt@2D, 3<<;

In[190]:=

MatrixForm@MD

!!!
i
j 2 y z
Out[191]//MatrixForm=

j
j z
z
j !!! z
2
k - 2 3 {

H* now compute the Hermitian conjugate and make sure it is self-adjoint *L

In[192]:=
MatrixForm@Conjugate@Transpose@MDDD

!!!
i
j 2 y z
Out[192]//MatrixForm=

j
j z
z
j !!! z
2
k - 2 3 {

H* Now find the eigenvalues *L

In[198]:=
y = Solve@Det@M - w IdentityMatrix@2DD 0D;

H* extract the eigenvalues from y *L

w1 = w . y@@1, 1DD
In[213]:=

Out[213]=
1

w2 = w . y@@2, 1DD
In[214]:=

Out[214]=
4

H* now we find the eigenvectors the old-fashioned way*L

H* e1 and e2 will be the normalized eigenvectors *L

In[227]:=
y = Solve@HHM - w1 IdentityMatrix@2DL.81, c<L@@1DD 0, cD

Out[227]=

99c
!!! ==

2

81, c . y@@1DD<
In[229]:=

Sqrt@Conjugate@81, c . y@@1DD<D.81, c . y@@1DD<D

e1 =

Out[229]=

9$%%%%%% !!! =
2
,
3 3
2_2M.nb 2

In[230]:=
y = Solve@HHM - w2 IdentityMatrix@2DL.81, c<L@@1DD 0, cD

!!!
88c - 2 <<
Out[230]=

81, c . y@@1DD<
In[231]:=

Sqrt@Conjugate@81, c . y@@1DD<D.81, c . y@@1DD<D

e2 =

Out[231]=

!!! , - $%%%%%%
9 =
1 2
3 3

H* we can form the projectors via the outer-product function *L

In[243]:=
I1 = Outer@Times, Conjugate@e1D, e1D;
MatrixForm@I1D

i 2 y
!!!!
j z
Out[244]//MatrixForm=

j
j z
z
j
j
j - z
z
z
2

!!!!
k {
3 3
2 1
3

3

In[245]:=
I2 = Outer@Times, Conjugate@e2D, e2D;
MatrixForm@I2D

i 2 y
!!!!
j z
Out[246]//MatrixForm=

j
j z
z
j
j
j z
z
z
1
-
!!!!
k 3 {
3 3
2 2

3

H* To verify the othogonality relation, we compute Conjugate@e1D.e2 *L

In[251]:=
Conjugate@e1D.e2

Out[251]=
0

H* Lastly, we verify the closure relation *L

In[252]:=
MatrixForm@I1 + I2D

Out[252]//MatrixForm=

J N
1 0
0 1
2_2Ly.nb 9/28/09 1

H* First we enter the matrix Ly *L

Ly = 880, Sqrt@2D, 0<, 8-Sqrt@2D, 0, Sqrt@2D<, 80, -Sqrt@2D, 0<<;

2I

MatrixForm@LyD

i
j y
z
j
j
!!!!
z
z
j
j z
z

-
j z
0 0
j
j !!!! z
z
j 2 z
2

j
j
!!!! z
z
j
j z
z

j z
0 -
j
j 0 0 z z
2

k {
!!!!


2

H* Now we take the transpose and complex conjugate *L

MatrixForm@Conjugate@Transpose@LyDDD . Conjugate@D

i
j y
z
j
j
!!!!
z
z
j
j z
z

-
j z
0 0
j
j !!!! z
z
j 2 z
2

j
j
!!!! z
z
j
j z
z

j z
0 -
j 0 0 z
2

k {
!!!!


2

H* By comparison, we see it is Hermitian *L

H* This the the matrix whose determinant gives the spectrum of Ly *L

MatrixForm@Ly - w IdentityMatrix@3DD

i -w
j y
z
j
j
!!!!
z
z
j
j z
z

-
j z
0
j
j !!!! z
z
j 2 z
2

j
j
!!!! z
z
j
j z
z

j z
-w -
j 0 -w z
2

k {
!!!!


2

H* Here we let mathematica solve the characteristic polynomial *L,

y = Solve@Det@Ly - w IdentityMatrix@3DD 0D;

Solve::svars : Equations may not give solutions for all "solve" variables. More

H* so the eigenvalues are: *L

2_2Ly.nb 9/28/09 2

w1 = w . y@@1, 1DD
w2 = w . y@@2, 1DD
w3 = w . y@@3, 1DD

H* "Eigensystem" will give the eigenvalues and Hun-normalized eigenvectors *L

y = Eigensystem@LyD;

e1p = y@@2, 1DD;

e2p = y@@2, 2DD;
e3p = y@@2, 3DD;

H* To normalize them, we compute the normalization constants *L

n1 = Sqrt@Conjugate@e1pD.e1pD;
n2 = Sqrt@Conjugate@e2pD.e2pD;
n3 = Sqrt@Conjugate@e3pD.e3pD;

H* The normalized eigenvectors are then: *L

e1 = e1p n1
e2 = e2p n2
e3 = e3p n3

9 !!! =
!!! , 0,
1 1
2 2

9- ,
!!! , =
1 1
2 2 2

9- , -
!!! , =
1 1
2 2 2

H* Here we form the projectors by using Mathematicas outer-product function *L

I1 = Outer@Times, Conjugate@e1D, e1D;

I2 = Outer@Times, Conjugate@e2D, e2D;
I3 = Outer@Times, Conjugate@e3D, e3D;
2_2Ly.nb 9/28/09 3

MatrixForm@I1D
MatrixForm@I2D
MatrixForm@I3D

i
j y
2 z
j
j z
z
j
j z
0 z
1 1

j z
0
j
j z
z
2

j
j z
z
j z
0 0

k 2 2 {
1 0 1

i
j y
z
j
j
!!!!
z
z
j
j z
z
1

- 1
-
j
j z
z
j
j !!!! z
4

2 2 z
2 2 4

j
j
!!!! z
z
j
j z
z
1

j z
-
j
j - z
z
2 2 2

k {
!!!!
1
1

4 2 2 4

i
j
1 y
j 4 z z
!!!!
j
j z
z
j z
1

-
j
j z
z
j
j !!!! z
2 2 z
4 2 2

j
j
!!!! z
z
j
j z
z
1

j z
-
j - z
2 2 2

k {
!!!!
1
- 1
4 2 2 4

H* Here we square the matrices. By comparison we see that Ij 2 =Ij *L

MatrixForm@MatrixPower@I1, 2DD
MatrixForm@MatrixPower@I2, 2DD
MatrixForm@MatrixPower@I3, 2DD

i
j 2 z
y
j
j z
z
j
j z
0 z
1
1

j z
0
j
j z
z
2

j
j z
1 z
j z
0 0

k 2 2 {
1 0

i
j y
z
j
j
!!!!
z
z
j
j z
z
1
- 1
-
j
j z
z
j
j z
z
4 2 2 4

j
j
!!!! !!!! z
z
j
j z
z
1

j z
-
j - z
2 2 2 2 2

k {
!!!!
1
1

4 2 2 4

i
j
1 y
j
j
!!!! 4 z z
z
j
j z
z
1

-
j
j z
z
j
j !!!! z
4

2 2 z
2 2

j
j
!!!! z
z
j 2 2
j z
z
1

j z
-
j
j - z
z
2

k {
!!!!
1 1
-
4 2 2 4

H* Lastly, we sum the projectors to verify the closure relation *L

MatrixForm@I1 + I2 + I3D

i
j
1 0 0y
z
j
j z
j
j 0 1 0zz
z
j z
k 0 0 1 {
2.6 Let  
0 1
x = (48)
1 0
By definition we have

X (i)m m
eix = x (49)
m=0
m!

For the m = 0 term, we have x0 = I, and for the m = 1 term, x1 = x . For the m = 2 term, we find
  
2 0 1 0 1
x = (50)
1 0 1 0
 
1 0
= (51)
0 1
= I (52)

From this it follows that x3 = x and x4 = I, and so on. So we see that all odd powers give x and
all even powers give I. Thus we can write

ix
X (i)2m X (i)2m+1
e = I + x (53)
m=0
(2m)! m=0
(2m + 1)!

X (1)m ()2m X (1)m ()2m+1
= I + ix (54)
(2m)! (2m + 1)!
m=0 m=0
= I cos() + ix sin() (55)

where the last step is possible because we recognize the series expansions for sin and cos.

7
2.7 We can start by computing y2 and seeing what happens
  
2 0 i 0 i
y = (56)
i 0 i 0
 
1 0
= (57)
0 1
= I (58)

Since the previous derivation followed strictly from x2 = I, then the same result must be valid for
y .
eiy = I cos() + iy sin() (59)
For u = x + y , here we start by computing u :
 
0 i
u = (60)
+ i 0
Computing the square gives
  
0 i 0 i
u2 = (61)
+ i 0 + i 0
2 + 2
 
0
= (62)
0 2 + 2
 
1 0
= (63)
0 1
= I (64)

Thus it follows immediately that

eiu = I cos() + iu sin() (65)

 
0.42 0.91i
e2ix = I cos(2) + ix sin(2) = (66)
0.91i 0.42
 
0.54 0.84i
eix = I cos(1) + ix sin(1) = (67)
0.84i 0.54
  
ix 2

0.54 0.84i 0.54 0.84i
e = = (68)
0.84i 0.54 0.84i 0.54
 
0.42 0.91i
= (69)
0.91i 0.42
= e2ix (70)
 
0 i+1
ei(x +y ) = exp (71)
i1 0
 
0.16 0.70 + 0.70i
= (72)
0.70 + 0.70i 0.16

8
  
iy 0.54 0.84
e = (73)
0.84 0.54

  
ix iy 0.54 0.84i0.54 0.84
e e = (74)
0.84i 0.54
0.84 0.54
 
0.29 0.71i 0.45 + 0.45i
= (75)
0.45 + 0.45i 0.29 + 0.71i
6= ei(x +y ) (76)

9
4. Cohen-Tannoudji ;pp341-350: problem 3.14

a. From inspection, the eigenvalues of H are ~0 and 2~0 , with the latter being doubly degener-
ate. The eigenstates are |u1 i, |u2 i, and |u3 i, with the first being the non-degenerate state. Thus
a measurement of the energy would yield ~0 with probability 1/2 and 2~0 with probability 1/2.
 
1 1 3
hHi = ~0 1 + 2 = ~0
2 2 2
 
1 1 5
hH 2 i = ~2 02 1 + 4 = ~2 2
2 2 2
r
p 5 9 1
H = hH 2 i hHi2 = ~0 = ~0
2 4 2
b. The eigenvalues of A are a and a, with eigenstates |a, 1i = |u1 i, |a, 2i = 1 (|u2 i + |u3 i), and
2
|ai = 1 (||u2 i |u3 i)
2

Clearly, the initial state is a superposition of |a, 1i and |a, 2i, so the probability to obtain a
is 1 and to obtain a is 0. Thus after the measurement, the state will remain unchanged.
c.
ei0 t ei20 t ei20 t
|(t)i = |u1 i + |u2 i + |u3 i
2 2 2
d. Because the initial state is a superposition of degenerate eigenstates of A, we know that

hAi(t) = a

ei0 t ei20 t ei20 t

 
B|(t)i = b (|u1 ihu2 | + |u2 ihu1 | + |u3 ihu3 |) |u1 i + |u2 i + |u3 i
2 2 2
 i20 t
ei0 t ei20 t

e
= b |u1 i + |u2 i + |u3 i
2 2 2

so that
ei0 t ei0 t 1
   
1 1
h(t)|B|(t)i = b + + =b + cos(0 t)
2 2 2 2 4 4 2
e. From the previous problem, we can see that a measurement of A at time t will yield a. The
eigenvalues of B are b and b, with eigenstates |b, 1i = |u3 i, |b, 2i = 12 (|u1 i + |u2 i), and
|bi = 1 (|u1 i |u2 i).
2
ei0 t i2 t
Projecting |(t)i onto |bi gives hb|(t)i = 2 + e 220

3 2
Taking the square modulus gives p(b) = 8 + 4 cos(0 t)
5 2
By probability conservation, we have then p(b) = 1 p(b) = 8 4 cos(0 t)

10