PHYS 451: Quantum Mechanics I - Spring 2020
Location & Contact Info
Instructor: Sergiy Bubin
Lecture Hours: Tue,Thu 10:30 am - 11:45 am in room 7.427
Recitations: Tue 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in room 7.427
Office Hours: Tue 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Thu 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in room 7E.333 (or by appointment)
Email: sergiy.bubin@nu.edu.kz
Office Phone: +7 (7172) 69 46 63
Course Description
In this course, students learn the basics of non-relativistic quantum mechanics.
The course introduces the concept of the wave function, its interpretation,
and covers the topics of potential wells, potential barriers,
quantum harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom. Next,
a more formal approach to quantum mechanics is taken by
introducing the postulates of quantum mechanics, quantum operators,
Hilbert spaces, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, and time evolution.
The course ends with topics covering the addition of angular momenta, spin,
emergence of energy bands in periodic systems,
and some basic aspects of many-body quantum mechanics, such
as the indistinguishability of identical particles and electron orbitals in atoms.
The course will include two lectures per week accompanied by a recitation.
Course Info
Syllabus:  syllabus.pdf
Required Textbook
David J. Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition)
Other Useful References
Many other texts exist on quantum mechanics, including those at the introductory level.
Some can be found in the library, and may also be very useful in this course.
Students are encouraged to explore those. Examples are:
- Richard Liboff, Introductory Quantum Mechanics (4th Edition)
- Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Bernard Diu, and Franck Laloë, Quantum Mechanics, Vol. 1 (2nd Edition)
- Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Bernard Diu, and Franck Laloë, Quantum Mechanics, Vol. 2 (2nd Edition)
- Robert Scherrer, Quantum Mechanics: An Accessible Introduction
- Robert Eisberg, David O. Caldwell, and Richard J. Christman, Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles
- Ira N. Levine, Quantum Chemistry (6th Edition)
Homework Assignments
Quizzes
Exams
Lecture Materials
Important note: Lecture materials provided below may be inclomplete
and should not be considered a substitute for notes taken in class or textbook materials
| Lecture
| Date
| File
| Topic
|
| Lecture #1 |
Jan 14 |
lec01.pdf |
Introductory notes. Timeline of quantum mechanics. |
| Lecture #2 |
Jan 16 |
lec02.pdf |
Review of basic probability theory. |
| Lecture #3 |
Jan 21 |
lec03.pdf |
Wave-particle duality. Schrödinger equation and its key characteristics. Statistical interpretation of wave function. |
| Lecture #4 |
Jan 23 |
lec04.pdf |
Expectation values. Momentum operator. Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Stationary states. |
| Lecture #5 |
Jan 25 |
lec05.pdf |
Particle in infinite square well. |
| Lecture #6 |
Jan 30 |
lec06.pdf |
Quantum harmonic oscillator. |
| Lecture #7 |
Feb 4 |
lec07.pdf |
Fourier series and Fourier transform. Free particle. |
| Lecture #8 |
Feb 6,11 |
lec08.pdf |
Review of Dirac delta function. Particle in delta function potential. |
| Lecture #9 |
Feb 11 |
lec09.pdf |
Probability current. |
| Lecture #9 |
Feb 13 |
lec10.pdf |
Finite square well. Transmission through square rectangular barrier. |
| Lecture #11 |
Feb 18 |
lec11.pdf |
Commutators. Solution of quantum harmonic oscillator problem using creation and annihilation operators. |
| Lecture #12 |
Feb 20 |
lec12.pdf |
Formalism of quantum mechanics. |
| Lecture #13 |
Feb 25 |
lec13.pdf |
Dirac notation, representations, projection and identity operators, spectral decomposition. |
| Lecture #14 |
Feb 27 |
lec14.pdf |
Cauchy-Schwarz inequality. General form of uncertainty principle. Time-evolution of expectation values. Energy-time uncertainty principle. |
| Lecture #15 |
Mar 10 |
lec15.pdf |
Schrödinger equation in 3D. Separation of variables for spherically symmetric potentials. Spherical harmonics. |
| Lecture #16 |
Mar 12 |
lec16.pdf |
Hydrogen-like atom. |
| R. assgn. #17 |
Mar 30 |
lec17.pdf |
Reduction of two-body problem with central interaction into one-body problem. Quantum rigid rotor. |
| Lecture #18 |
Apr 7 |
lec18.pdf |
Commutation relations for angular momentum. Ladder operator method for angular momentum. |
| Lecture #19 |
Apr 7 |
lec19.pdf |
Matrix representation of angular momentum operator. |
| Lecture #20 |
Apr 9 |
lec20.pdf |
Addition of angular momenta. |
| Lecture #21 |
Apr 14 |
lec21.pdf |
Spin. Properties of Pauli matrices. |
| Lecture #22 |
Apr 14 |
lec22.pdf |
Electron in magnetic field. Larmor precession. Stern-Gerlach experiment. |
| Lecture #23 |
Apr 16 |
lec23.pdf |
Many-body problem in quantum mechanics. |
| Lecture #24 |
Apr 21 |
lec24.pdf |
Exchange interaction. |
| Lecture #25 |
Apr 21 |
lec25.pdf |
Atoms. Shell structure. Atomic terms. Hund's rules. |
| Lecture #26 |
Apr 23 |
lec26.pdf |
Chains of 1D wells. Development of bands of energy. |
| R. assgn. #27 |
Apr 23 |
lec27.pdf |
Periodic potentials. Dirac comb. Band structure. |
Schedule of Zoom Meetings (participation requires password)
Video Recordings (authorized users)
Video recordings of Zoom meetings are available in this  folder on a shared Google Drive
Online Assignment Submission (authorized users)
All online assignments (homeworks, quizzes, exams) should be submitted via Google Classroom
Found an error on this page or in any of the pdf files? Send an email to the instructor at sergiy.bubin@nu.edu.kz. |
