Quantum Mechanics - Volume II: Angular Momentum, Spin, and Approximation Methods

This new edition of the unrivalled textbook introduces concepts such as the quantum theory of scattering by a potential, special and general cases of adding angular momenta, time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory, and systems of identical particles. The entire book has been revised to take into account new developments in quantum mechanics curricula.The textbook retains its typical style also in the new edition: it explains the fundamental concepts in chapters which are elaborated in accompanying complements that provide more detailed discussions, examples and applications._ The quantum mechanics classic in a new edition: written by 1997 Nobel laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and his colleagues Bernard Diu and Franck Laloë_ As easily comprehensible as possible: all steps of the physical background and its mathematical representation are spelled out explicitly_ Comprehensive: in addition to the fundamentals themselves, the book contains more than 170 worked examples plus exercisesClaude Cohen-Tannoudji was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris where he also studied and received his PhD in 1962. In 1973 he became Professor of atomic and molecular physics at the Collège des France. His main research interests were optical pumping, quantum optics and atom-photon interactions. In 1997, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms.Bernard Diu was Professor at the Denis Diderot University (Paris VII). He was engaged in research at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and High Energy where his focus was on strong interactions physics and statistical mechanics.Franck Laloë was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. His first assignment was with the University of Paris VI before he was appointed to the CNRS, the French Na tional Research Center. His research was focused on optical pumping, statistical mechanics of quantum gases, musical acoustics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

AN ELEMENTARY APPROACH TO THE QUANTUM THEORY OF SCATTERING BY A POTENTIALIntroductionStationary Scattering States. Calculation of the Cross SectionScattering by a Central Potential. Method of Partial WavesComplementsELECTRON SPINIntroductionSpecial Properties of Angular Moment 1/2Non-Relativistic Description of a Spin 1/2 ParticleComplementsADDITION OF ANGULAR MOMENTAIntroductionAddition of Two Spin 1/2's. Elementary MethodAddition of Two Arbitrary Angular Momenta. General MethodsComplementsSTATIONARY PERTURBATION THEORYDescription of the MethodPerturbation of a Non-Degenerate LevelPerturbation of a Degenerate LevelComplementsAN APPLICATION OF PERTURBATION THEORY: THE FINE AND HYPERFINE STRUCTURE OF THE HYDROGEN ATOMIntroductionAdditional Terms in the HamiltonianThe Fine Structure of the N=2 LevelThe Hyperfine Structure of the N=1 LevelThe Zeeman Effect of the Hyperfine Structure of the 1s Ground StateComplementsAPPROXIMATION METHODS FOR TIME-DEPENDENT PROBLEMSStatement of the Pro blemApproximate Solution of the Schrödinger EquationAn Important Special Case: Sinusoidal or Constant PerturbationComplementsSYSTEMS OF IDENTICAL PARTICLESStatement of the ProblemPermutation OperatorsThe Symmetrization PostulateDiscussionComplementsAPPENDICESFourier Series and the Fourier TransformThe Dirac "Function"The Lagrangian and Hamiltonian in Classical Mechanics