QUANTUM THEORY OF MATTER Homework set #3: de Broglie wave-length, wave-packets, Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization

Problem # 3.1 : To what velocity would an electron have to be slowed down, if its wave-length is to be 1 meter? What is the corresponding energy in eV? Are matter waves of macroscopic dimensions a real possibility?

Problem # 3.2 : In general, quantum mechanics is relevant when the de Broglie wavelength of the particle is greater than the characteristic size of the system (d). In thermal equilibrium at absolute temperature T , the average kinetic energy of a particle is p2 3 = kB T , 2m 2 so the typical de Broglie wavelength is = h . 3mkB T

The purpose of this problem is to anticipate which system will have to be treated quantum mechanically, and which can safely be described classically. (a) Solids: The lattice spacing in a typical solid is around d = 0.3 nm. Find the temperature below which the free electrons in a solid are quantum mechanical. Below what temperature are the nuclei in a solid quantum mechanical? (Use sodium as a typical solid). Moral: The free electrons in a solid are always quantum mechanical; the nuclei are almost never quantum mechanical. The same holds for liquids (roughly the same interatomic spacing), with the exception of helium below 4 K. (b) Gases: For what temperatures are the atoms in an ideal gas at pressure P quantum mechanical? Hint: Use the ideal gas law, P V = NkB T , to deduce the interatomic

spacing. Answer: T < (1/kB )(h2 /3m)3/5 P 2/5 . Obviously, for the gas to show quantum behavior, we want m to be as small as possible, and P as large as possible. Put in the numbers for helium at atmospheric pressure. Is (molecular) hydrogen in outer space, where the interatomic spacing is about 1 cm and the temperature is 3 K, quantum mechanical?

Problem # 3.3 : Consider a one-dimensional wave-packet with spectral distribution f (k) (A)
1 f (k) = exp[ 2 2 k 2] , (B)

f (k) = exp[|k|]

Obtain the wave-packet in real space at t = 0 by Fourier-transformation 1 g(x) = 2

dkf (k)eikx .

Qualitatively discuss the width of the wave-packet in real space as a function of the spectral distribution width.

Problem # 3.4 : In a constant magnetic eld, H, a classical electron has a circular orbit. (a) Verify that the rotator of the vector potential A = 1 r H yields the desired magnetic 2 eld. Choose H parallel to the z-axis. (b) Write down Newtons equation for the Lorentz force. Show that mv + (|e|/c)r H is a constant of motion. (c) Calculate the circulation of A and show that A dr = H area , where area is the area enclosed by the classical orbit. Recall that if the motion along H is neglected, the orbit lies in the plane perpendicular to H .

(d) The canonical momentum p is the sum of the kinetic or mechanical momentum mv and the momentum of the magnetic eld (|e|/c)A, p = mv Using (b) and (c) show that p dr = |e| H area . c |e| A. c

(e) Assuming circular orbits use the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule 1 p dr = (n + )h 2 to show that the kinetic energy of the electron is quantized and that the energy levels are equally spaced. The spacing is ( |e|/mc)H. Calculate the radius of the orbits. h