A2.13 B2.22

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics | Part II, 2004

(i) The creation and annihilation operators for a harmonic oscillator of angular frequency ω\omega satisfy the commutation relation [a,a†]=1\left[a, a^{\dagger}\right]=1. Write down an expression for the Hamiltonian HH in terms of aa and a†a^{\dagger}.

There exists a unique ground state ∣0⟩|0\rangle of HH such that a∣0⟩=0a|0\rangle=0. Explain how the space of eigenstates ∣n⟩,n=0,1,2,…|n\rangle, n=0,1,2, \ldots of HH is formed, and deduce the eigenenergies for these states. Show that

a∣n⟩=n∣n−1⟩,a†∣n⟩=n+1∣n+1⟩a|n\rangle=\sqrt{n}|n-1\rangle, \quad a^{\dagger}|n\rangle=\sqrt{n+1}|n+1\rangle

(ii) Write down the number operator NN of the harmonic oscillator in terms of aa and a†a^{\dagger}. Show that

N∣n⟩=n∣n⟩N|n\rangle=n|n\rangle

The operator KrK_{r} is defined to be

Kr=a†rarr!,r=0,1,2,…K_{r}=\frac{a^{\dagger r} a^{r}}{r !}, \quad r=0,1,2, \ldots

Show that KrK_{r} commutes with NN. Show also that

Kr∣n⟩={n!(n−r)!r!∣n⟩r≤n0r>nK_{r}|n\rangle= \begin{cases}\frac{n !}{(n-r) ! r !}|n\rangle & r \leq n \\ 0 & r>n\end{cases}

By considering the action of KrK_{r} on the state ∣n⟩|n\rangle show that

∑r=0∞(−1)rKr=∣0⟩⟨0∣\sum_{r=0}^{\infty}(-1)^{r} K_{r}=|0\rangle\langle 0|

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