Quantum Physics III. Winter Semester 2008-2009
Links to other previous and current courses:
(click here)
Wiki lecture notes page: you can write your latex notes here (http://thermowiki.epfl.ch/pq3)
Course schedule:
Thursday 12-14 (lectures), room CE 1103
Tuesday 13-15 (exercises), room CM 011
Final exam:
January 20, 21, 22, room CE 101 (schedule)
Exam rules and topics:
PostScript, PDF.
Lecturer: Prof. Dmitri Ivanov
tel: 3-3419, office: PH-H2-497, e-mail: dmitri.ivanov (at) epfl.ch
Assistant: Samuel Bieri
e-mail: samuel.bieri (at) epfl.ch
Course program:
1. Quasiclassical approximation
2. Scattering theory (elastic scattering)
Recommended textbooks:
L.D.Landau, E.M.Lifshitz, Quantum Mechanics:
Non-Relativistic Theory, Vol. 3, Third Edition
G.Baym, Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
Helpful textbook on complex analysis:
P.Henrici, Applied and computational complex analysis.
This three-volume book explains computing integrals by the residue method,
the saddle-point approximation (with the Airy function as an example)
and other helpful info on complex analysis.
Good reading on quasiclassical approximation and
analytic continuation method:
M.V.Berry and K.E.Mount, Reports on Progress in Physics, v35(1), p.315 (1972)
[link to the PDF file (via EPFL subscription)]
Some references for the course topics: (text file)
Problem sets:
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Problem Set 0: Reviewing basic quantum mechanics.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 18.09.08.
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Problem Set 1: Quasiclassical boundary conditions. Saddle-point approximation. Asymptotics of the Airy function.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 25.09.08.
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Problem Set 2: Quasiclassical energy levels.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 02.10.08.
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Problem Set 3: Quasiclassical wave functions.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 09.10.08.
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Problem Set 4: Quasiclassical tunneling.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 16.10.08.
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Problem Set 5: Quasistationary states. Perturbation theory for scattering.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 23.10.08.
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Problem Set 6: Time-dependent perturbations and adiabatic approximation.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 30.10.08.
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Problem Set 7: Legendre polynomials and spherical Bessel functions.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 13.11.08.
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Problem Set 8: Scattering amplitude and cross section. Born approximation.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 20.11.08.
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Problem Set 9: Scattering of slow particles. Scattering of fast particles.
PostScript, PDF.
Distributed: 04.12.08.
Previous and forthcoming lectures:
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18.09.08: Schroedinger equation. Quasiclassical wave function.
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25.09.08: Boundary conditions for quasiclassical wave functions.
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02.10.08: Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule in one dimension.
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09.10.08: Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule in a centrally symmetric potential.
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16.10.08: Quasiclassical tunneling.
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23.10.08: Reflection "above the barrier". Perturbation theory in one dimension.
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30.10.08: Quasistationary states. Time-dependent perturbations and adiabatic approximation.
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06.11.08: Time-dependent perturbations and adiabatic approximation (continued).
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13.11.08: Landau-Zener transitions. General notions of elastic scattering. Scattering amplitudes and cross sections.
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20.11.08: Free spherical waves. Scattering amplitudes in terms of
phase shifts. Unitarity condition for scattering.
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27.11.08: Unitarity condition for scattering (continued). Optical theorem. Born approximation.
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04.12.08: Born approximation (continued). Scattering of slow particles.
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11.12.08: Resonant scattering.
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16.12.08: Scattering of fast particles (eikonal approximation).
written and maintained by D.Ivanov.
Last updated: 18.01.2009.