Time Independent Schrödinger Equation (Text 5.7) : T) - I (KX T) - I (KX

Time independent Schrödinger equation (Text
5.7)
More about eigenfunction and eigenvalue:
1. Different operators have different sets of eigenfunctions.
2. For the quantity to be physical, the eigenvalues Gn have to be real (i.e.
not a complex number).
3. If two different operators A and B share the same set of
eigenfunctions, the two operators commute because their
measurements will not affect the system.
AB=BA
4. For example, plane wave Ψ(x,t) = ei(kx-ωt) is an eigenfunction of
momentum:
∂
p̂ Ψ (x, t) = - ih ei(kx -ωt) = hkei(kx -ωt) = hkΨ (x, t)
∂x
hk is the eigenvalue.
5.7)
Out of all operators in quantum mechanics, the energy operator (also
known as the Hamiltonian) plays a special role because it describes
how the system evolves over time through Schrödinger equation:
v ∂ v
Ĥ Ψ(r, t) = ih Ψ(r, t) ---- Schrödinger equation
∂t
1. The energy eigenstate
v v
Ĥ Ψn (r, t) = E n Ψn (r, t)
has special functional form, which we will explore immediately.
2. If the energy eigenstates are also the eigenstates of another operator
A, then A and H commute, and the physical quantity A can be
measured together with energy (H) without influencing each other.
5.7)
Now we try to figure out the functional form of the energy eigenstates.
If the potential does not have t explicitly. Let Ψn(x,t) be an eigenstate of
energy, and Ψn(x,t)=ψ(x)f(t) ⎡ h 2 ∂ 2 ⎤ ∂
⎢- + U(x)⎥ Ψn (x, t) = ih Ψn (x, t)
⎣ 2m ∂x ∂t
2
Schrödinger equation: ⎦
⎡ h2 ∂2 ⎤ ∂
f ⇒ ⎢- + U(x)⎥ψ (x)f(t) = ih ψ (x)f(t)
o ⎣ 2m ∂x 2
⎦ ∂t
ion
t ⎡ h2 ∂2 ⎤ ∂
a ra u e ⇒ f(t) ⎢- + U(x)⎥ψ (x) = ihψ (x) f(t)
p ni q ⎣ 2 m ∂x 2
⎦ ∂ t
e
s ch
d “ e 1 ⎡ h2 ∂2 ⎤ ih ∂
a r ” t ⇒ ⎢- + U(x)⎥ψ (x) = f(t)
d les ψ (x) ⎣ 2m ∂x 2
⎦ f(t) ∂t
a n
St riab
va Since LHS depends on x only, and RHS depends on t only. The only
possibility of equality is both sides equal to a number, say, En.
5.7)
⎧ 1 ⎡ h2 ∂2 ⎤
⎪ + U(x)⎥ψ (x) = E n
⎪ ψ (x) ⎢⎣ 2m ∂x 2
- - - - -(1)
∴⎨ ⎦
⎪ ih ∂ f(t) = E - - - -(2)
⎪⎩ f(t) ∂t n
We cannot do much on equation (1) until we know U(x) explicitly. Equation (2) can be
solved easily!
ih ∂ ∂ E
f(t) = E n ⇒ f(t) = n f(t)
f(t) ∂t ∂t ih
∂ iE
⇒ f(t) = − n f(t)
∂t h
df iE
⇒ = − n dt
f h
iE n
−
⇒ f(t) = e h
5.7)
1. So the energy eigenstate must

E
be of the form
n
-i t
Ψn (x, t) =ψ (x) e h
(or ψ (x) e-iωn t with E n = hωn )
2. ψ(x) is to be determined by U(x) in the Time Independent Schrödinger
Equation:
⎡ h2 ∂2 ⎤
⎢- + U(x)⎥ψ (x) = E nψ (x)
⎣ 2m ∂x
2
⎦
3. En is just the eigenvalue of energy.
4. Ψn(x,t) can be used as the building blocks of any wave function (say, f(x,t)):
En
f(x, t) = ∑ A n Ψn (x, t) = ∑ A nψ n (x)e
- t
h
5. n
If the wave function is an eigenstaten of energy, then the system will stay in
this eigenstate forever. If the wave function is a combination of several
eigenstates, the phase factor exp(iωnt) will “mix” the eigenstates over time.
5.7)
Example: In free space, U(x)=0. Schrödinger equation:

h2 ∂2
- ψ (x) = E nψ (x)
2m ∂x 2
The solution is ψ(x) = Ae and the energy eigenvalue is

ikx
h2k 2
E=
2m
So the complete energy eigenstate is
i(kx-ωt) h 2k 2
Ψ(x, t) = Ae with E = = hω
2m
In other words, plane waves are the energy eigenstates for a free
particle.
If a particle is described by a plane wave, that plane wave will remain

as a description of that particle forever because it is an energy
eigenstate.
5.7)
But that DOESN’T mean a wave function has to be an energy eigenstate! For
example, we can construct a wavefunction as:
2 i(k1x -ω1t) 3 i(k2 x -ω2 t)
Ψ(x, t) = e + e
5 5
This wave function is NOT an eigenstate of energy but it obeys the
Schröedinger equation (try it!). To calculate the probability density:
∴ ρ (x, t) = Ψ * ( x, t) Ψ ( x, t)
⎡ 2 -i(k1x -ω1t) 3 -i(k 2 x -ω2 t) ⎤ ⎡ 2 i(k1x -ω1t) 3 i(k 2 x -ω2 t) ⎤
=⎢ e + e ⎥⎢ e + e ⎥
⎣ 5 5 ⎦⎣ 5 5 ⎦
2 2
⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 3 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞⎛ 3 ⎞ i[(k1x -ω1t)-(k 2 x -ω2 t)] -i[(k1x -ω1t)-(k 2 x -ω2 t)]
= ⎜⎜
5
⎟ +⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟
⎟ ⎜ 5 ⎟ + ⎜ 5 ⎟⎜ 5 ⎟ e [ +e ]
⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠⎝ ⎠
2 6
= 1+ cos [(k1 - k 2 )x - (ω1 - ω2 )t]
5
5.7)
When many energy eigenstates (Gaussian spectrum) mix together:
Re(Ψ(x,t)
Im(Ψ(x,t)
|Ψ(x,t)|2
The wavepacket follows Schrödinger equation, but it is not an energy eigenstate.

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Time independent Schrödinger equation (Text

1. So the energy eigenstate must

Example: In free space, U(x)=0. Schrödinger equation:

The solution is ψ(x) = Ae and the energy eigenvalue is

If a particle is described by a plane wave, that plane wave will remain

The wavepacket follows Schrödinger equation, but it is not an energy eigenstate.

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