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Quantum
Mechanics 171.606 Spring 2012
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This is the second part of a two-semester
graduate level course in quantum mechanics. Arguably, the quantum theory
represents the finest intellectual achievement of modern science. Its
predictions are as profound as they are bewildering -- our "common
sense" intuition is frequently overwhelmed when faced with its many
paradoxes. Yet, the combined power of its logical, mathematical structure
and numerous experimental validations force us to accept quantum
mechanics as our basic theory of the physical universe -- it is the most
quantitatively accurate theory in physics and its myriad of applications
influence every aspect of modern life, from latest advances in medical
technology to rise of trillion dollar computer & communication
industries to laptops, iPods, quantum computing and the like. After this
two-semester course, a graduate student will be equipped with solid
conceptual and practical understanding of quantum theory and be able to
start gaining a foothold on the contemporary research frontier in physical
sciences.
In lieu of a
detailed Syllabus, a sampling of topics to be covered, in chronological
order: (First semester) review
of the wave mechanics and the Schrödinger equation, Hilbert space and
quantum operators, harmonic oscillator, coherent states, equations of
motion for operators, the WKB approximation, central forces and angular
momentum, scattering theory, (Second
semester) Coulomb and resonant scattering, spin, density matrix,
entangled states and quantum information, perturbation theory (time-independent and
time-dependent), quantized radiation field, absorption and emission of
radiation, identical particles, second quantization and quantum many-body
problem with examples, Dirac equation and relativistic quantum mechanics.
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Class announcements:
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Midterm
Exam
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Final
Exam
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Exams and grading
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During the semester there will be weekly/biweekly homeworks each carrying 100 points. Out of
these, no more than 8 on which you scored the most points will be included
in the computation of the final grade (note that, depending on the course
schedule, we might end up having no more than 8 homeworks).
The homework will ordinarily be distributed on the day of the conference,
and will be due the following week. No late homework will be accepted!
There will be a closed book midterm exam in late March/early
April, worth 400 points. At the end of the semester there will be a final
exam, worth 800 points. Your grade will be decided on the basis of
total number of points from homework, midterm and final exam. Graduate
students are generally expected to do convincingly better than the 1,000
points total to receive a passing grade (for example, 800 points on
homework and 210 on exams does not qualify for a pass).
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Homeworks
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Homeworks
are due at the start of each class/conference, one week after being
posted. The problems will be posted on this page in Adobe Portable
Document Format (*.pdf). PDF is the preferred format for viewing
documents on screen.
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Class hours and Location
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Lectures : Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 -- 11:45 am,
Bloomberg 278
Conference: Fridays, 12:00 noon -- 12:50 pm, Bloomberg
274
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Lecturer and TA info
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People
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Professor:
Zlatko Tesanovic
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TA: Jian Kang
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Office location:
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Bloomberg 315
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Bloomberg 357
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Telephone:
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x6-5391, Secretary: x6-8429 (Sharon Karsk)
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x6-5105
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E-mail address:
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zbt@pha.jhu.edu
, karsk@pha.jhu.edu
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jkang@pha.jhu.edu
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Office hours:
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Thursdays 12:00 noon –1:00 pm and by appointment
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Tuesdays 3:00 -- 4:00 pm and by appointment
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Textbooks and related links
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Primary textbook:
This is an advanced graduate level course and there is no single
primary textbook; you have to attend the lectures and take notes. That
being said, “Quantum Mechanics” by F. Schwabl
(Springer) offers a solid and comprehensive introduction to the subject
and perhaps is the closest in style and emphasis to the lectures. Toward the end of the Spring
semester, we will also discuss subjects covered in the second part of Schwabl's treatise, the “Advanced Quantum
Mechanics” (Springer). Older editions of Schwabl’s
book will serve just fine.
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Other useful
textbooks and www links: There are at least ten good textbooks
on quantum mechanics. The formidable classics are Landau & Lifshitz, Davydov,
Messiah, Schiff and Baym. The modern
standouts are Shankar and Sakurai. Cohen-Tannoudji,
Diu & Laloe “Quantum Mechanics” (Wiley)
is beloved by students for its step-by-step style, R. Robinett’s “Quantum Mechanics” (Oxford) has many
contemporary physics examples, A. Bohm’s
“Quantum Mechanics; Foundations and Applications” (Springer) is heavy
on mathematical rigor, R. Omnes’ “The
Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics” (Princeton University Press)
dwells on the conceptual side, while the good old S. Flugge’s “Practical Quantum Mechanics” (Springer)
still separates the men/women from the boys/girls.
There are also numerous useful web links on various aspects of quantum
theory. A sampling (many in the form of Java applets) includes a 1D
Quantum Crystal, Curious
world of quantum by Prof. M. Franz from UBC, Quantum Physics
Online from French Ecole Polytechnique, Visual Quantum
Mechanics from Kansas State, 1D
Quantum Mechanics by Paul Falstad, etc.
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University-wide statement on Academic Ethics
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The strength of the university depends on academic and
personal integrity. In this course, you must be honest and truthful.
Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of
assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices,
unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and
falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair
competition. Report any violations you witness to the instructor.
You may consult the associate dean of students and/or the chairman of the
Ethics Board beforehand. See the guide on "Academic Ethics for
Undergraduates" and the Ethics Board web site (http://ethics.jhu.edu) for more
information.
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