PHY 312: Quantum Mechanics

General Information

Prerequisites: undergraduate quantum mechanics or successful performance on a placement exam; linear algebra; differential equations.

Class Meetings:

• Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:05 am - 11:20 am
• Location: Physics 299
• Website: http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rps/312/

Instructor: Roxanne Springer

• Office: Room 252, Physics and Mathematics Building
• Phone: 660-2676
• Email: rps@phy.duke.edu
• Office Hours: Mon 3-5pm room 252

Teaching Assistant: Marco Bertolini

• Office: Room 248, Physics and Mathematics Building
• Phone: 660-2682
• Email:  mb266@phy.duke.edu
• Office Hours: email to schedule meetings
  

Principal Text:  Cohen-Tannoudji, Quantum Mechanics Volume II

Supplementary Reading:

• J. J. Sakurai, Modern Quantum Mechanics.
• Cohen-Tannoudji, Diu and Laloe Quantum Mechanics, Vol I.
  
• R. Shankar, Principles of Quantum Mechanics.
• E. Merzbacher, Quantum Mechanics.

Collaboration Policy:

• You are encouraged to discuss the lectures and homework assignments with fellow 312 students so that you can learn the subject from each other. However, the written part of the homework assignments must be done individually.
• You may not access problem set solutions or exams from previous years' versions of courses Phy 211, 212, 312, 315, or 316.
• You may not share your own problem set solutions or exams from 312 with subsequent 312 students.
• You are free to consult other texts and on-line resources for aid in solving problems. However, if you come across a solution to an assigned 312 problem, you may not copy it. All work you turn in for problem set credit must be your own work.

Comments:

• A link to the problem sets is at the bottom of this webpage.
• No problem sets will be accepted after their due date without a permissable excuse. Speak to me well in advance if you expect to request an extension.
• Course webpage as well as email will be used to disseminate information on problem set corrections, class schedule emergencies, etc.
• All exams will be closed book. Formulae needed for the exams will either be provided or are expected to be known by the student.
• My Teaching Philosophy

Syllabus

Here is a list of topics we expect to cover. This list is not necessarily complete and topics may be added or deleted, depending on time and the interests of the students.

• The real hydrogen atom - intro to perturbation theory
• Multiparticle systems
• Addition of angular momentum
• Tensor operators; Wigner-Eckart theorem
• SU(2)
• WKB and path integrals
• Time independent perturbation theory
• Time dependent perturbation theory
• Scattering

Problem Sets

Unless otherwise indicated, problem sets are due at 5pm on the due date, in the T.A.'s Physics mailbox. Unless prior permission is obtained well in advance of the deadline, no credit will be given for late problem sets.

Assignment 1 (Due Tue 24 Jan 2012)

Assignment 2 (Due Tue 31 Jan 2012)

Assignment 3 (Due Tue 7 Feb 2012)

Assignment 4 (Due Tue 14 Feb 2012)

Assignment 5 (Due Tue 28 Feb 2012)

Assignment 6 (Due Thu 15 Mar 2012)

Assignment 7 (Due Wed 20 Mar 2012)

Assignment 8 (Due Wed 4 Apr 2012)

Assignment 9 (Due Wed 11 Apr 2012)

Assignment 10 (Due Wed 18 Apr 2012)

Optional Seminars

Exams

Grade distribution:

• problem sets, 25%
• exam 1, 20%
• exam 2, 20%
• final, 35%

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