1st Edition

An Introduction to Quantum Physics

By A.P. French, Edwin F. Taylor Copyright 1978
    692 Pages
    by CRC Press

    692 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Provides comprehensive coverage of all the fundamentals of quantum physics. Full mathematical treatments are given. Uses examples from different areas of physics to demonstrate how theories work in practice. Text derived from lectures delivered at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Preface
    Learning Aids for Quantum Physics
    1 Simple models of the atom
    Introduction
    The classical atom
    The electrical structure of matter
    The Thomson atom
    Line spectra
    Photons
    The Rutherford-Bohr atom
    Further predictions of the Bohr model
    Direct evidence of discrete energy levels
    X-ray spectra
    A note on x-ray spectroscopy
    Concluding remarks
    Exercises
    The wave properties of particles
    De Broglie’s hypothesis
    De Broglie waves and particle velocities
    Calculated magnitudes of De Broglie wavelengths
    The Davisson-Germer experiments
    More about the Davisson-Germer experiments
    Further manifestations of the wave properties of electrons
    Wave properties of neutral atoms and molecules
    Wave properties of nuclear particles
    The meaning of the wave-particle duality
    The coexistence of wave and particle properties
    A first discussion of quantum amplitudes
    Exercises
    Wave-particle duality and bound states
    Preliminary remarks
    The approach to a particle-wave equation
    The Schrodinger equation
    Stationary states
    Particle in a one-dimensional box
    Unique energy without unique momentum
    Interpretation of the quantum amplitudes for bound states
    Particles in nonrigid boxes
    Square well of finite depth
    Normalization of the wave function
    Qualitative plots of bound-state wave functions
    Exercises
    Solutions of Schrodinger’s equation in one dimension
    Introduction
    The square well
    The harmonic oscillator
    Vibrational energies of diatomic molecules
    Computer solutions of the Schrodinger equation
    Exercises
    Further applications of Schrodinger’s equation
    Introduction
    The three-dimensional Schrodinger equation
    Eigenfunctions and eigenvalues
    Particle in a three-dimensional box
    Spherically symmetric solutions for hydrogen-like systems
    Normalization and probability densities
    Expectation values
    Computer solutions for spherically symmetric hydrogen wave functions
    Exercises
    Photons and quantum states
    Introduction
    States of linear polarization
    Linearly polarized photons
    Probability and the behavior of polarized photons
    States of circular polarization
    Orthogonality and completeness
    Quantum states
    Statistical and classical properties of light
    Concluding remarks
    APPENDIX: POLARIZED LIGHT AND ITS PRODUCTION
    6A-1 The production of linearly polarized light
    6A-2 The production of circularly polarized light
    Suggested experiments with linearly polarized light
    Exercises
    Quantum amplitudes and state vectors
    Introduction
    The analyzer loop
    Paradox of the recombined beams
    Interference effect in general
    Formalism of projection amplitudes
    Properties of projection amplitudes
    Projection amplitudes for states of circular polarization
    The state vector
    The state vector and the Schrodinger wave function for bound states
    Exercises
    The time dependence of quantum states
    Introduction
    Superposition of states
    An example of motion in a box
    Packet states in a square-well potential
    The position-momentum uncertainty relation
    The uncertainty principle and ground-state energies
    Free-particle packet states
    Packet states for moving particles
    Examples of moving packet states
    The energy-time uncertainty relation
    Examples of the energy-time uncertainty relation
    The shape and width of energy levels
    Exercises
    Particle scattering and barrier penetration
    Scattering processes in terms of wave packets
    Time-independent approach to scattering phenomena
    Probability density and probability current
    Scattering by a one-dimensional well
    Barrier penetration tunneling
    Probability current and barrier penetration problems
    An approximation for barrier penetration calculations
    Field emission of electrons
    Spherically symmetric probability currents
    Quantitative theory of alpha decay
    Scattering of wave packets
    Exercises
    Angular momentum
    Introduction
    Stern-Gerlach experiment: theory
    Stern-Gerlach experiment: descriptive
    Magnitudes of atomic dipole moments
    Orbital angular momentum operators
    Eigenvalues of L.
    Simultaneous eigenvalues
    Quantum states of a two-dimensional harmonic oscillator
    Exercises
    Angular momentum of atomic systems
    Introduction
    Total orbital angular momentum in central fields
    Rotational states of molecules
    Spin angular momentum
    Spin orbit coupling energy
    Formalism for total angular momentum
    APPENDIX – THE SCHRODINER EQUATION IN SPHERICAL CORRDINATES
    Exercises
    Quantum states of three-dimensional systems
    Introduction
    The coulomb model
    General features of the radial wave functions for hydrogen
    Exact radial wave functions for hydrogen
    Complete Coulomb wave functions
    Classification for energy eigenstates in hydrogen
    Spectroscopic notation
    Fine structure of hydrogen energy levels
    Isotopic fine structure: heavy hydrogen
    Other hydrogen-like systems
    Exercises
    Identical particles and atomic structure
    Introduction
    Schrodinger’s equation for two noninteracting particles
    The consequences of identity
    Spin states for two particles
    Exchange symmetry and the Pauli principle
    When does symmetry or antisymmetry matter?
    Measurability of the symmetry character
    States of the helium atom
    Many-electron atoms
    General structure of a massive atom
    Exercises
    Radiation by atoms
    Introduction
    The classical Hertzian dipole
    Radiation for an arbitrary charge distribution
    Radiating dipoles according to wave mechanics
    Radiation rates and atomic lifetimes
    Selection rules and radiation patterns
    Systematics of line spectra
    Angular momentum of photons
    Magnetic dipole radiation and galactic hydrogen
    Concluding remarks
    Exercises
    BIBLIOGRAPHY
    ANSWERS TO EXERCISES
    SELECTED PHYSICAL CONSTANTS AND CONVERSION FACTORS
    INDEX

    Biography

    A.P. French