Paper 3, Section II, B

Principles of Quantum Mechanics
Part II, 2019

Consider the Hamiltonian H=H0+VH=H_{0}+V, where VV is a small perturbation. If H0n=EnnH_{0}|n\rangle=E_{n}|n\rangle, write down an expression for the eigenvalues of HH, correct to second order in the perturbation, assuming the energy levels of H0H_{0} are non-degenerate.

In a certain three-state system, H0H_{0} and VV take the form

H0=(E1000E2000E3) and V=V0(0ϵϵ2ϵ00ϵ200)H_{0}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc} E_{1} & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & E_{2} & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & E_{3} \end{array}\right) \quad \text { and } \quad V=V_{0}\left(\begin{array}{ccc} 0 & \epsilon & \epsilon^{2} \\ \epsilon & 0 & 0 \\ \epsilon^{2} & 0 & 0 \end{array}\right)

with V0V_{0} and ϵ\epsilon real, positive constants and ϵ1\epsilon \ll 1.

(a) Consider first the case E1=E2E3E_{1}=E_{2} \neq E_{3} and ϵV0/(E3E2)1\left|\epsilon V_{0} /\left(E_{3}-E_{2}\right)\right| \ll 1. Use the results of degenerate perturbation theory to obtain the energy eigenvalues correct to order ϵ\epsilon.

(b) Now consider the different case E3=E2E1E_{3}=E_{2} \neq E_{1} and ϵV0/(E2E1)1\left|\epsilon V_{0} /\left(E_{2}-E_{1}\right)\right| \ll 1. Use the results of non-degenerate perturbation theory to obtain the energy eigenvalues correct to order ϵ2\epsilon^{2}. Why is it not necessary to use degenerate perturbation theory in this case?

(c) Obtain the exact energy eigenvalues in case (b), and compare these to your perturbative results by expanding to second order in ϵ\epsilon.