Physics 137, Fall 2000

Quantum Mechanics

Temporal evolution of a wave packet in an infinite square well. This animated plot shows the probability of finding a particle as a function of position inside the well. At t=0, the wave packect has width a/10 (where a is the size of the well), and is localized at the center of the well. The wave packet has no net momentum p, thus, the center of the wave packet does not move. However, since we know the approximate position of the packet at t=0, by the uncertainty principle, there must be a spread in the momentum. Thus the packet spreads out, although it eventually reforms. (This is known in the lingo as "collapse and revival.")

Note: This page contains legacy content retained by request of alumni who still use the resources

When and where: MWF 9-10, 329 LeConte.

Instructor: Assistant Professor D. Budker. Office: 219 Birge, Labs: B217, 217, 221, 230 Birge, tel. 643-1829, e-mail: budker@berkeley.edu, research group web page
Office hour: Tu, 1-2PM, 219 Birge

Teaching Assistant: Uday Varadarajan. Office: 279 LeConte, tel. 642-5647 (office), 666-0728 (home), e-mail: udayv@socrates.berkeley.edu
Office hours: Tu, Th 11AM-12PM, and Fr 1-2PM.
Discussion Section: 101 Tuesday, 5-6 pm 329 LeConte

Course Outline: click here

Books:

Required text:
Griffiths, David J. Introduction to quantum mechanics. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice Hall, 1995. QC174.12 .G75

Additional references:
History of QM
1. Segrè, Emilio. From x-rays to quarks : modern physicists and their discoveries. W. H. Freeman, 1980. QC7 .S4413
2. Ryutova-Kemoklidze, Margarita. The quantum generation: highlights and tragedies of the golden age of physics. New York : Springer, 1995. QC7 .R9613

Mathematics
1. Byron, Frederick W. and Fuller, Robert W. Mathematics of classical and quantum physics, QC20 .B9

Atomic physics
1. Bransden, B. H. and Joachain, C. J. Physics of Atoms and Molecules. Longman, 1988.

Advanced textbooks
1. Landau, L. D., and Lifshitz, E. M. Quantum mechanics : non-relativistic theory. Oxford ; New York : Pergamon Press, 1977. QC174.12 .L35131
2. Davydov, A. S. Quantum mechanics. 2d ed. Oxford ; New York : Pergamon Press, 1976. QC3 .I625 v.1 1976
3. Migdal, A. B. Qualitative methods in quantum theory. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., The Advanced Book Program, 1989. QC174.12 .M53131
4. Edmonds, A. R. Angular momentum in quantum mechanics. Princeton University Press, 1974. QC174.1 .E3 1974
5. Bethe, H. A. and Salpeter, E. A . Quantum Mechanics of One- and Two-electron Atoms. Plenum 1977. QC 174.17.P7 B471 Reserve

Other books really worth reading
1. Feynman, R. P., Leighton, R. B., and Sands, M. The Feynman lectures on physicsv. 3, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., UCB Physics QC22 .F47

Newsflash!

Find out about the 2000 Nobel Prizes in Physics

Do not miss the lectures by Prof. William Phillips (1997 Nobel Prize winner for laser trapping and cooling)

Sign up for the class e-mail list: send us your e-mail address!
Midterm #2: review problems and solutions
Midterm #2: problems and solutions
Midterm # 2: Uday's review notes
Final: Uday's review notes
Final: Uday's review problems
Final: review_notes II and solutions to review problems 

Seminars and Colloquia

Physics 290 F "Atomic" Seminar
LBNL Nuclear Science Division Colloquia
Physics Department Colloquia, Seminars, and Special Events

Lecture Notes, Electronic Tutorials

Mathematica^TM notebook: Particle in an infinite square well
Download MathReader from 

An HTML version of the above
Mathematica^TM notebook: Two-level quantum mechanical system with periodic perturbation - elementary tutorial

Useful Links, Web Resources

Physics124: Introductory Nuclear Physics
Physics 250: Selected hot, cool, and ultracold topics in modern atomic physics
LBNL Table of Isotopes and related links
Glossary of Nuclear Terms
Web Elements Periodic Table
Nuclear Science Division, LBNL
Particle Data Group (PDG)
Clebsch-Gordan Coefficients
Radioactivity and radiation protection (from PDG)
Some web pages on phase and group velocities (found by Schuyler Kain):
Group Velocity and Phase Velocity
Dispersion
Some links that may help you with mathematics
Spherical Bessel functions
Neutrino oscillations: links galore
Los Alamos Science: look for special issue -- "Celebrating the Neutrino"

Homework

General advice and policy
Contact the reader (person)
Download Adobe Reader (program)

Acknowledgment and Disclaimer: This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY-9733479. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recomendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).