A2.13 B2.22

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Part II, 2004

(i) The creation and annihilation operators for a harmonic oscillator of angular frequency ω\omega satisfy the commutation relation [a,a]=1\left[a, a^{\dagger}\right]=1. Write down an expression for the Hamiltonian HH in terms of aa and aa^{\dagger}.

There exists a unique ground state 0|0\rangle of HH such that a0=0a|0\rangle=0. Explain how the space of eigenstates n,n=0,1,2,|n\rangle, n=0,1,2, \ldots of HH is formed, and deduce the eigenenergies for these states. Show that

an=nn1,an=n+1n+1a|n\rangle=\sqrt{n}|n-1\rangle, \quad a^{\dagger}|n\rangle=\sqrt{n+1}|n+1\rangle

(ii) Write down the number operator NN of the harmonic oscillator in terms of aa and aa^{\dagger}. Show that

Nn=nnN|n\rangle=n|n\rangle

The operator KrK_{r} is defined to be

Kr=ararr!,r=0,1,2,K_{r}=\frac{a^{\dagger r} a^{r}}{r !}, \quad r=0,1,2, \ldots

Show that KrK_{r} commutes with NN. Show also that

Krn={n!(nr)!r!nrn0r>nK_{r}|n\rangle= \begin{cases}\frac{n !}{(n-r) ! r !}|n\rangle & r \leq n \\ 0 & r>n\end{cases}

By considering the action of KrK_{r} on the state n|n\rangle show that

r=0(1)rKr=00\sum_{r=0}^{\infty}(-1)^{r} K_{r}=|0\rangle\langle 0|