A one-dimensional harmonic oscillator has Hamiltonian
H=ℏω(A†A+21)
where [A,A†]=1. Show that A∣n⟩=n∣n−1⟩, where H∣n⟩=(n+21)ℏω∣n⟩ and ⟨n∣n⟩=1.
This oscillator is perturbed by adding a new term λX4 to the Hamiltonian. Given that
A=2mℏωmωX−iP
show that the ground state of the perturbed system is
∣0λ⟩=∣0⟩−4m2ω3ℏλ(32∣2⟩+23∣4⟩)
to first order in λ. [You may use the fact that, in non-degenerate perturbation theory, a perturbation Δ causes the first-order shift
∣∣∣∣m(1)⟩=n=m∑Em−En⟨n∣Δ∣m⟩∣n⟩
in the mth energy level.]