School of Physics

Senior Physics Lecture Module Quantum Physics (Advanced) Semester 1, 2013

MODULE DESCRIPTION This course develops our understanding of quantum physics as applied to atomic structure and the interaction of light and matter. It builds on concepts and techniques introduced in Junior and Intermediate Physics which introduced the concepts of the wavefunction, spin, and driven coherent oscillations. Our primary objective will be to use and develop techniques of quantum mechanics to model and predict the energy-level structure of electrons in atoms. This approach will both introduce techniques useful in the broad field of quantum physics, but it will also lay the foundation for understanding major accomplishments in modern atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics as well as technologies such as atomic clocks. The course content is defined in terms of the textbook. However, the material may not necessarily be covered in the same order as in the textbook. THE DETAILS Credit points Offered Prerequisites Classes Assessment Lecturer 2 Semester 1 MATH2061 or MATH2961 or MATH2067 19 hours of lectures 2 assignments and a final exam Dr Michael J. Biercuk, School of Physics, Room 3553, Phone: 9036 5301, email: Michael.biercuk@sydney.edu.au

GENERAL AIMS This course will provide a detailed introduction to the quantum theory of atomic structure and lightmatter interaction. This material is essential to an undergraduate physics curriculum and unifies concepts previously encountered in quantum physics modules, principles of chemistry, and key experiments in modern physics. By the conclusion of the module you should be familiar with the electronic structure of single and multi-level atoms, angular momentum and its central role therein, key concepts in the interaction of atoms with electromagnetic fields, and mathematical techniques used in quantum mechanics such as perturbation theory and the operator formalism in space. The course will be contextualized, setting out a problem to understand in the first lecture and working towards a complete picture of the relevant physics by the end of the module. LEARNING COMMITMENTS There will be 19 lectures starting on Friday 26 April. Physics Lecture Theatre 2 Tuesday 9am, Thursday 9am and Friday 1pm The week-by-week timetable can be found on the Senior Physics website: www.physics.usyd.edu/au/current/sphys/timetable_weekly_1.shtml TEXTBOOK The textbook is A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics by John Townsend. All students will be expected to have access to a copy. It can be bought from the Co-Op bookshop, and there are also copies on closed reserve in the Physics library. Quantum Mechanics by David H. McIntyre is a recommended complement, but relevant material will be provided in the course lecture notes. Another Book that may be helpful is Laser Cooling and Trapping by Harold Metcalf. A few copies are held on closed reserve in the Physics Library, while Fisher Undergraduate Library has many copies that can be borrowed for one week.

ASSESSMENT Assessment will be based on a final examination and two assignments. The assignments will be available from the eLearning site and can be submitted to the Physics Office, Room 210, by 5pm on the due date. Assignments submitted late without permission will incur an immediate 20% late penalty, with a further 20% penalty accumulating each week until the assignment is submitted. This policy applies by default, unless your lecturer advises you differently. Assessment task Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Final Examination Percentage Mark 25% 25% 50% Due Date Wednesday 15 May Monday 3 June Exam Period

COURSE CONTENT Townsend: Chapter 2: Rotation of Basis States 2.2: Rotation Operators 2.4 Matrix representation of operators 2.5 Changing Representation Chapter 3: Angular Momentum 3.1: Rotations do not commute and neither do the generators 3.2: Commuting operators 3.3: The eigenvalues and eigenstates of angular momentum 3.4: The matrix elements of the raising and lowering operators 3.5: Uncertainty relations and angular momentum Chapter 5: A system of spin-1/2 particles 5.1: The basis states for a system of two sin-1/2 particles 5.2: The hyperfine splitting of the ground state of hydrogen 5.3: The addition of angular momenta for two spin-1/2 particules Chapter 6: Wave Mechanics in One Dimension 6.1: Position eigenstates and the wave function 6.2: The translation operator 6.3: The generator of translations 6.4: The momentum operator in the position basis 6.9: The particle in a box

Chapter 9: Translational and rotational symmetry in the two-body problem 9.3: Relative and centre-of-mass coordinates 9.4: Estimating ground-state energies using the uncertainty principle 9.5: Rotational invariance and conservation of angular momentum 9.6: A complete set of commuting observables 9.8: Position-space representations of angular momentum in spherical coordinates 9.9: Orbital angular momentum eigenfunctions Chapter 10: Bound states of central potentials 10.1: The behavior of the radial wavefunction near the origin 10.2: the coulomb potential and the Hydrogen atom Chapter 11: Time-independent perturbations 11.1: Nondegenerate perturbation theory 11.6: The energy levels of Hydrogen 11.7: The Zeeman effect in Hydrogen

Senior Physics outline 2013 Quantum Physics (Advanced)

Chapter 14: Photons and atoms 14.2: The Hamiltonian for the Electromagnetic field 14.4: The Hamiltonian of the Atom and the Electromagnetic field 14.5: Time-dependent perturbation theory 14.6: Fermis Golden Rule 14.7: Spontaneous Emission 14.9: Higher-order processes. McIntyre: (not examinable) Chapter 11: Hyperfine structure and the addition of angular momentum 11.4: Diagonalization of the hyperfine perturbation 11.5: The coupled basis 11.6: Addition of generalized angular momenta 11.7 Angular momentum in atoms and spectroscopic notation Metcalf: (not examinable) Chapter 2: The Density Matrix 2.1: Basic Concepts 2.2: Spontaneous Emission 2.3: The Optical Bloch Equations Chapter 3: Force on Two-Level Atoms 3.1: Laser light pressure 3.2: A two-level atom at rests 3.3: Atoms in motion

LECTURE-BY-LECTURE OUTLINE Lecture 1: course overview and rationale; introduction of laser-cooling of atoms Lecture 2: Time evolution and the Schroedinger equation; Position and Momentum Operators; The Schroedinger equation in position space Lecture 3: Introduction to wave mechanics in 3D; The generator of rotations; Angular momentum Lecture 4: Angular momentum eigenstates; Spin-1/2 systems; Uncertainty relations and angular momentum Lecture 5: Angular momentum in a 3D spherical system; Lecture 6: Solving the Schroedinger Equation in a 3D radially symmetric potential; the spherical harmonics; radial wavefunctions Lecture 7: The Hydrogen atom; The Coulomb potential; Hydrogenic wavefunctions; Hydrogen spectroscopy Lecture 8: Nondegenerate Perturbation Theory Lecture 9: Degenerate perturbation theory; spin-orbit coupling; Fine structure; Hyperfine interaction Lecture 10: Addition of angular momentum; hyperfine revisited; Generalized Clebsch-Gordon coefficients;

Senior Physics outline 2013 Quantum Physics (Advanced)

Lecture 11: Indistinguishable particles; symmetry and spin-statistics; the exchange interaction Lecture 12: Hydrogen structure summary ;Atoms in static fields; the Zeeman effect; Breit-Rabi Lecture 13: The Hamiltonian for classical fields; Charged particle in an EM field; Radiation Lecture 14: Time-dependent perturbation theory; The interaction picture Lecture 15: Transitions in atoms; Fermis Golden Rule Lecture 16: Transitions in atoms; Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission; Higher-order terms; Lecture 17: Coherent Driving; Review of the Rabi two-level problem Lecture 18: Laser-driven transitions; the density matrix; optical Bloch equations non-examinable Lecture 19: Optical forces on atoms and laser cooling of atoms non-examinable WEB RESOURCES The lecturers notes will be available on the University eLearning system elearning.sydney.edu.au, usually accessed by students through MyUni (sydney.edu.au/myuni), the student portal providing University information and services. Access to MyUni and eLearning requires a Unikey username and password that is issued with your confirmation of enrolment. The University provides computer facilities described on the Student IT pages at http://sydney.edu.au/ict/student/. WHERE TO GO FOR HELP If you need help, you can: as a first step, always check your unit eLearning pages for information, documents and links go to the Physics Office, Room 210 in the Physics building, or phone 9351 3037 ask your lecturer ask other students using the Discussion forum provided on the eLearning site consult one of the many services provided by the University. These can be found at sydney.edu.au/current_students/student_services/index.shtml or through your MyUni pages sydney.edu.au/myuni. PROVIDING US WITH FEEDBACK We welcome comments on all aspects of this unit. You should feel free to contact your lecturers, tutors or the coordinators (listed under "Where to go for help" above) at any time. There is also a formal opportunity for feedback at the Staff-Student Liaison meeting, held one lunch time towards the end of semester with staff and student representatives from the various units of study, including this one. Your feedback helps us improve this unit. CONSIDERATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING YOUR STUDY If your academic performance in a Science Faculty unit of study is adversely affected by illness or some other serious event, such as an accident, you should notify the Faculty of Science Student Office (level 2 of the Carslaw building) within 7 days after the period for which consideration is sought, by completing an Application for Special Consideration with accompanying documentation. This is especially important if you miss an examination. If you have another reason for the Science Faculty to take account of your circumstances - religious commitments, legal commitments (e.g. Jury duty), elite sporting or cultural commitments (representing the University, state or country), or Australian Defence Force commitments (e.g. Army Reserve) - you should notify the Faculty of Science Student Information Office (level 2 of the Carslaw building) at least 7 days BEFORE the period for which consideration is sought, by completing an Application for Special Arrangements with accompanying documentation.

Senior Physics outline 2013 Quantum Physics (Advanced)

These two forms of Consideration should cover most allowable circumstances. However, if you have another reason for requiring the School of Physics to take account of your circumstances, you should notify the School of Physics Office immediately. You should not submit an application of any type if: there is no assessment associated with a missed class, or you have a reasonable opportunity to make up any work you missed. If, for example, you miss an assignment, an application for appropriate Consideration is required to allow late submission, but we do expect the assignment to be submitted. Sometimes catching up may be impossible, in which case we will consider a pro-rata adjustment of your marks on the basis of an application for Consideration. Special Consideration or Special Arrangements To submit an application for Special Consideration or Special Arrangements you should: 1. 2. 3. Obtain the appropriate Application pack from the Student Information Office of the Faculty of Science, the Faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/science/cstudent/ug/forms.shtml, or the Physics Office. Complete the forms and obtain whatever original documentary evidence is appropriate. Note especially that the Professional Practitioner's Certificate is essential for Special Consideration on grounds of serious illness - Medical Certificates will NOT be accepted. Take the original copy of all forms and documents, plus sufficient copies for each unit of study affected and yourself, to the Faculty of Science Student Information Office (NOT any other Faculty Office if you are seeking Consideration in a unit taught by Physics). They will sign/stamp both the original application form and the copies. In the case of Physics units, one copy of the documentation must then be submitted to the Physics Office. Keep one copy yourself. A formal decision on your application will be sent to your university email address within 14 days.

Further details on University policy regarding Considerations can be found in the Academic Board Assessment Policy at http://sydney.edu.au/ab/policies/Assessment_Policy_2011.pdf. This document also contains details on other aspects such as Student Appeals against academic decisions. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/PLAGIARISM We will NOT accept assessments that are simply copied. Copying the work of another person without acknowledgment is plagiarism and contrary to University policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/254&RendNum=0 Academic Dishonesty means seeking to obtain or obtaining academic advantage (for example, in assessments) by dishonest or unfair means or knowingly assisting another student to do so. Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: (a) recycling that is, the resubmission for assessment of work that is the same, or substantially the same, as Work previously submitted for assessment in the same or in a different unit of study (except in the case of legitimate resubmission with the approval of the examiner for purposes of improvement); (b) fabrication of data; (c) the engagement of another person to complete or contribute to an assessment or examination in place of the student, whether for payment or otherwise or accepting such an engagement from another student; (d) communication, whether by speaking or some other means, to other candidates during an examination; (e) bringing into an examination forbidden material such as textbooks, notes, calculators or computers; (f) attempting to read other students work during an examination;

Senior Physics outline 2013 Quantum Physics (Advanced)

(g) writing an examination or test paper, or consulting with another person about the examination or test, outside the confines of the examination room without permission; (h) copying from other students during examinations; (i) Inappropriate use of electronic devices to access information during examinations. Plagiarism means presenting another persons work as ones own work by presenting, copying or reproducing it without acknowledgement of the source. Plagiarism is a form of Academic Dishonesty, but is treated separately. Plagiarism includes presenting work for assessment, publication, or otherwise, that includes: (a) phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs or longer extracts from published or unpublished work (including from the Internet) without acknowledgement of the source; or (b) the work of another person, without acknowledgement of the source and presented in a way that exceeds the boundaries of legitimate cooperation. GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES Graduate Attributes are generic attributes that encompass not only technical knowledge but additional qualities that will equip students to be strong contributing members of professional and social communities in their future careers. The overarching graduate attributes identified by the University relate to a graduates attitude or stance towards knowledge, towards the world, and towards themselves. These are understood as a combination of five overlapping skills or abilities, the foundations of which are developed as part of specific disciplinary study. For further details please refer to the Science faculty website at: http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/graduateAttributes/facultyGA.cfm?faculty=Science UNIVERSITY POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND FORMS For full details of applicable university policies and procedures, see the Policy web site at sydney.edu.au/policy. Relevant forms are available on the Faculty Forms and Procedures web site at sydney.edu.au/science/cstudent/ug/forms.shtml

Senior Physics outline 2013 Quantum Physics (Advanced)