Course Syllabus
PHYS 7230: Quantum Theory II
Course Description
Continuation of Quantum Theory I. Nonrelativistic (mostly) and relativistic quantum theory with applications to atoms, molecules, scattering, and radiation.
Course Details
Course Type: In-person Lectures
Meeting Time: MW 12:55–2:50 PM
Meeting Location: LSSB W4202
Instructor
Mengxing Ye
LSSB W2208, mengxing.ye@utah.edu
Office hours: right after the lecture or by appointment.
TA-Grader
None. We will be doing peer review of homework.
Textbook
Modern Quantum Mechanics (2nd edition), J. J. Sakurai and Jim Napolitano (Cambridge University Press, 2017). ISBN 978-1108422413.
Any edition is fine. But note that the homework problems and syllabus are based on the 2nd edition.
Homework
Unless announced otherwise, homework assignments will be posted after class every Wednesday and due the following Wednesday by 11:59pm. Late submissions will be accepted up to 48 hours past due date, with an additional 20% penalty for every 24 hours (maximum score will be 80%, 60% for homework submitted 0-24, 24-48 hours past due date, respectively).
All homework must be submitted by file upload to Canvas. You may scan your handwritten homework or use LaTeX (or any other editor of your choice). You should attempt each problem on your own before discussing with others. Discussions with other students are encouraged, but each student must turn in their own work.
Peer Review
Students are expected to grade one-another's homework papers based on solutions provided by the instructor. Peer review will be due one week after the homework is due.
Class Participation
There will be 3-4 lectures in the format of discussions throughout the semester. The lecturer will review the important concepts covered in the previous few lectures, and we will then discuss a few homework problems. The selected problems for the discussion will be notified in advance, and students are expected to lead the discussion. All students are expected to lead the discussion at least once, and extra bonus credit will be given.
Exams
There will be one exam in this class, a Final examination. The date and time will be notified closer to the end of the semester. This will be an open-note, open-book exam.
Grades
Final grades will be determined by homework (50%) + final (50%). 1 homework with the lowest credit will be dropped. There will also be opportunities to gain extra credit by leading the discussion of a problem.
Course Schedule
subject to modification
Week 1: Review of Chapter 4 (Symmetries), Berry phase in quantum mechanics
Week 2-5: Chapter 5 (Perturbation Theory)
Week 6-12: Chapter 6 (Scattering Theory)
Week 12-13: Chapter 7 (Identical Particles)
Week 14-15: Chapter 8 (Relativistic Quantum mechanics), path integral in quantum mechanics
Week 16: Review
Tentative course schedule.
Course schedule, lecture notes, homework problems and solutions will be updated regularly on the course website: https://sites.google.com/gcloud.utah.edu/mengxingye/teaching/quantum-theory-ii
| Meeting Date | Content | Reading | Homework |
HW Solution |
| Jan 6 | Review: Symmetries in QM | 4.1-4.4 | ||
| Jan 8 | Berry phase in QM | 5.6 (Supplement I in the revised 1st edition) | ||
| Jan 13 | Time independent perturbation theory: non-degenerate case | 5.1 | ||
| Jan 15 | Time independent perturbation theory: degenerate case | 5.2 | ||
| Jan 20 | no lecture | |||
| Jan 22 | Hydrogenlike Atoms | 5.3 | ||
| Jan 27 | Variational Method | 5.4 | ||
| Jan 29 | Time dependent potentials | 5.5 | ||
| Feb 3 | Time dependent perturbation theory 1 | 5.7, 5.9 | ||
| Feb 5 | Time dependent perturbation theory 2 | 5.7, 5.9 | ||
| Feb 10 | Introduction to scattering theory | 6.1 | ||
| Feb 12 | review of problems | |||
| Feb 17 | no lecture | |||
| Feb 19 | Scattering Amplitude and Born approximation I | 6.2, 6.3 | ||
| Feb 24 | Scattering Amplitude and Born approximation II | 6.2, 6.3 | ||
| Feb 26 | Phase shifts and partial wave | 6.4, spherical Bessel functions | ||
| Mar 3 | Eikonal approximation (high energy state scattering) | 6.5 | ||
| Mar 5 | Eikonal continued | review and problems | ||
| Mar 10 | no lecture | |||
| Mar 12 | no lecture | |||
| Mar 17 | Low energy scattering and bound state (Lecutre note, mathematica) | 6.6, Lecture note by Hitoshi Murayama | ||
| Mar 19 | Resonance and symmetry | 6.7, 6.8 | ||
| Mar 24 | Inelastic scattering | 6.9 + review and problems | ||
| Mar 26 | permutation and 2 identical particles | 7.1 - 7.3 | ||
| Mar 31 | Helium and multiparticle states | 7.4, 7.5 | ||
| Apr 2 | Second quantization | 7.7 | ||
| Apr 7 | Path integral in quantum mechanics | see lecture notes | ||
| Apr 9 | Klein-Gordon equation | 8.1 & lecture notes | ||
| Apr 14 | Dirac equation | 8.2 | ||
| Apr 16 | review | |||
| Apr 21 | Overview | review and problems |
ADA Statement
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.
Rights & Responsibilities
All students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom setting, according to the Student Code, spelled out in the Student Handbook. Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of the Code. The Code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc. Students should read the Code carefully and know they are responsible for the content. According to Faculty Rules and Regulations, it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, and I will do so, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from and class and a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.