Paper 4, Section I, B

Quantum Mechanics | Part IB, 2016

(a) Define the quantum orbital angular momentum operator L^=(L^1,L^2,L^3)\hat{\boldsymbol{L}}=\left(\hat{L}_{1}, \hat{L}_{2}, \hat{L}_{3}\right) in three dimensions, in terms of the position and momentum operators.

(b) Show that [L^1,L^2]=iL^3\left[\hat{L}_{1}, \hat{L}_{2}\right]=i \hbar \hat{L}_{3}. [You may assume that the position and momentum operators satisfy the canonical commutation relations.]

(c) Let L^2=L^12+L^22+L^32\hat{L}^{2}=\hat{L}_{1}^{2}+\hat{L}_{2}^{2}+\hat{L}_{3}^{2}. Show that L^1\hat{L}_{1} commutes with L^2\hat{L}^{2}.

[In this part of the question you may additionally assume without proof the permuted relations [L^2,L^3]=iL^1\left[\hat{L}_{2}, \hat{L}_{3}\right]=i \hbar \hat{L}_{1} and [L^3,L^1]=iL^2.]\left.\left[\hat{L}_{3}, \hat{L}_{1}\right]=i \hbar \hat{L}_{2} .\right]

[Hint: It may be useful to consider the expression [A^,B^]B^+B^[A^,B^][\hat{A}, \hat{B}] \hat{B}+\hat{B}[\hat{A}, \hat{B}] for suitable operators A^\hat{A} and B^\hat{B}.]

(d) Suppose that ψ1(x,y,z)\psi_{1}(x, y, z) and ψ2(x,y,z)\psi_{2}(x, y, z) are normalised eigenstates of L^1\hat{L}_{1} with eigenvalues \hbar and -\hbar respectively. Consider the wavefunction

ψ=12ψ1cosωt+32ψ2sinωt\psi=\frac{1}{2} \psi_{1} \cos \omega t+\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \psi_{2} \sin \omega t

with ω\omega being a positive constant. Find the earliest time t0>0t_{0}>0 such that the expectation value of L^1\hat{L}_{1} in ψ\psi is zero.

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