Quantum Mechanics II - Homework Assignment 5

Alejandro G omez Espinosa March 23, 2013

1) In class we developed the semiclassical theory for the interaction of an atom with electromagnetic radiation. Specializing to a one-electron atom, and dropping the diamagnetic V (2) term (see Problem 2), we have e p A(r, t) B(r, t) S (1) V (t) = mc where S is the electron spin and the gyromagnetic ratio is = e/mc (we have set ge = 2). As usual, we take the EM wave to be A(r, t) = A0 yeikx ei0 t (2)

a) Show that the 0th -order expansion of the eikx term from B gives rise to the magnetic dipole contribution to Vns of ike A0 n|Sz |s (3) mc Let us calculate B from (2): B = A = A0 yeikx ei0 t = A0 yeikx ei0 t x = ikA0 zeikx ei0 t ikA0 z Then, n| B S|s = = e ikA0 z Sz z |s mc ike A0 n|Sz |s mc n|

b) Show that the 1st -order expansion of the eikx term from A augments the magnetic dipole contribution so that the total magnetic dipole contribution to Vns is ike A0 n|Lz + 2Sz |s 2mc and introduces an additional electric quadrupole term ke0 A0 n|xy |s 2c

(4)

(5)

gomez@physics.rutgers.edu

1 HINT: Show that xpy = (m/2i h)[xy, HO ] + 2 Lz and use that 0 = ns . Let us probe the hint:

m 1 [xy, HO ] + Lz = 2i h 2 = = = = =

m 1 (x[y, H0 ] + [x, H0 ]y ) + Lz 2i h 2 m 1 1 1 x[y, P 2 ] + [x, P 2 ]y + Lz 2i h 2m 2m 2 1 1 (x(2i hpy ) + (2i hpx )y ) + Lz 4i h 2 1 1 (xpy + px y ) + Lz 2 2 1 1 (2xpy xpy + px y ) + Lz 2 2 1 1 xpy Lz + Lz = xpy 2 2

Then, for the rst order approximation in the rst term: e e e pA= py A0 eikxi0 t py A0 i(kx 0 t) mc mc mc Therefore: n|V |s = = = = = e p A B S|s mc ike e py A0 ikx|s + A0 n|Sz |s n| mc mc ike ike A0 n|xpy |s + A0 n|Sz |s mc mc ike m 1 ike A0 n | [xy, H0 ] + Lz |s + A0 n|Sz |s mc 2i h 2 mc ike ke0 A0 n|Lz + 2Sz |s + A0 n|xy |s 2mc 2c n|

c) Show that magnetic dipole absorption is forbidden in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (i.e., if L and S each separately commute with H0 ). Since L and H0 commute, then we can build simultaneously eigenfunctions for both operators, then: n|Lz |s = m n|s Because the states n and s are not the same, this relation vanishes and the magnetic dipole absorption is forbidden. The same relations and procedure holds for S. d) Show that parity-nonconserving electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole transitions are forbidden. Since the electric quadrupole (5) depends upon the term n|xy |s and, x and y operators are odd, the product xy is even. Then, a change in the state xy |s will results in states which are not n| (where the relation does not vanish). Therefore, such transitions are forbidden.

2) a) The diamagnetic interaction is the name for the A2 term V (2) (t) = e2 2mc2 [A(rj , t)]2
j

(6)

in the coupling between an atom and an incident EM wave which, as in Problem 1, we take to be A(r, t) = A0 yeikx ei0 t . Expanding the eikx factor and keeping the rst non-vanishing term, show that this interaction causes transitions from state |s to state |n of the atom occur at a rate 2e2 2 A4 0 |dns |2 (ns 20 ) (7) sn = h2 m2 c6 where dns is the dipole matrix element between the states. (Note that the selection rules are the same as for electric dipole absorption, but the absorption occurs at frequency 20 instead of 0 .) Let us expand the exponential factor of the A: A = A0 yeikx ei0 t A0 yikx Then, the rate of interactions is given by: sn = = = = = = 2 | n|Hint |s |2 (En Es ) h2 2 e2 [A(rj , t)]2 |s |2 (En Es ) | n | 2mc2 h2 j 2 e4 | n|A2 |s |2 (En Es ) h2 4m2 c4 2 e4 2 2 2 2 2 4m2 c4 | n|A0 k x |s | (Es En ) h 2 2 e4 A4 0k | n|x2 |s |2 (Es En ) h2 4m2 c4 2 2e2 A4 0 0 |dns |2 (ns 20 ) h2 m2 c6

b) The results cannot be expressed in terms of a cross section. Why not? (HINT: The incident intensity of the radiation is proportional to A2 0 .) Since the incident intensity is proportional to A2 0 and the cross section does not depend upon e2 /mc2 , we cannot express this rate as a product of the cross section.

3) This is Einsteins detailed balance derivation of the spontaneous emission rate base on thermodynamic principles. Consider a cavity in which atoms are continually making transitions between ground state |s and an excited state |n . The atoms interact with a black-doby radiation eld with energy density h 3 1 rad ( ) = 2 3 (8) h /kT c e 1 In the steady state there are on average Ns atoms in the state |s , and Nn in state |n , in equilibrium at temperature T, Ns = eEns /kT (9) Nn Thus, everything (atoms and radiation eld) is in equilibrium at temperature T. a) By requiring that the rate Ns abs at which atoms go from |s |n is equal to the rate Nn (spont + stim ) at which atoms go from |n |s , show spont = Let us equate the rates described above: Nn (spont + stim ) = Ns abs Ns spont = abs stim Nn = eEns /kT abs stim = stim eEns /kT 1 = stim = b) Assuming that the semiclassical result stim ( ) = 4 2 hc |dns |2 ( ns )
n 3 stim hns rad (ns ) 2 c3

(10)

3 h rad (ns ) 2 c3 3 hns stim rad (ns ) 2 c3

(11)

derived in class is correct even for the fully quantum case, use this to determine stim /rad and thus to show that (in the electric dipole approximation) spont =
3 4ns |dns |2 3 hc3

(12)

(In class we will later compare this with the result of a fully quantum-mechanical treatment of the radiation eld.) Let us start with the stimmulate rate of interaction, stim = nvstim . To calculate the number of particles, let us use (8): rad 2 1 n= = 2 3 (13) h /kT h c e 1

Also, since v = c for photons, the stimmulate rate is given by: stim = ncstim 2 1 4 2 = c h/kT 1 2 c3 e hc =
3 |dn s|2 4ns h/kT 1 hc4 e

|dns |2 ( ns )
n

Plugging this result into (10): spont = = = =

3 hns stim rad (ns ) 2 c3
3 4ns |d n s | 2 3 /kT 1 hns hc4 eh h 3 1 2 c3 /kT 1 2 c3 eh 3 4 2 |dns |2 hns 2 2 c3

h 4 3 |dns |2 hc4