Quantum Mechanics

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PHYS 485 General Information
Physics 485 provides an introduction to quantum
physics including suitable for majors in Physics,
Electrical Engineering, Materials Science,
Chemistry, and related Sciences.
When Lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays 200
- 320 pm. Midterms Monday, Oct-14th and Wed,
Nov-20th Final TBA Where Lectures and exams
take place in 136 Loomis Laboratory of Physics
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PHYS 485 Contact Information
Instructor  Professor Matthias Grosse
PerdekampOffice        469 Loomis
LaboratoryPhone       [phone]Email    
     mgp_at_illinois.edu Office hours
Tuesday 500-600pm   Grader      Tsung-Han
YehOffice         Loomis-MRL Interpass
390F Phone       no office phoneEmail       
tyeh6_at_illinois.edu   Office hours  Tuesday
400-500pm For course related e-mail if you
would like a prompt reply make sure to
place PHYS 485
into your subject line Course web-page
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PHYS 485 Grading Policy
Course grades will be determined by the following
percentages Problem sets 45 Midterm I
15 Midterm II 15 Final exam
25 Final grade boundaries will be chosen
such that NANANA- 40 of NAll and similar
for B letter grades .
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PHYS 485 Homework
10 problem, one per week. Problem sets will
account for 45 of the final grade. Problem
sets will be distributed by e-mail Wednesdays by
the end of the day and are due one week later,
Wednesday in class.   Late submission 485
homework box, 2nd floor. Late deductions 20
Wednesday 2.05pm to Thursday 6pm
40 after Thursday 6pm to Friday
6pm 100 after Friday
6pm Solutions will be posted on the course
web-page on Monday morning and homework will be
returned during the Monday lectures. First
homework Wednesday Sep. 4th due Wednesday Sep.
11th.   Problem sets aim to enhance your learning
of the material. I encourage you to consult with
other students in the class on the problem sets,
but remember that you will be on your own in the
exams. TA and lecturer office hours are
scheduled Tuesday afternoon.
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PHYS 485 Exams
Midterms There will be two midterm examination,
given in class. Each midterm will account for
15 of your final grade.   Midterm I
(Monday, October-14, in class) Midterm
II (Wednesday, November-20, in class) Final
Exam There will be a three-hour final exam,
which will account for 25 of your final
grade. The final exam will cover all course
material.   All exams are closed book. However,
it is permitted to use a one page summary of
your own notes during the midterms and three
pages for the final. Calculators will be
necessary. About half of the exam problems will
be taken from study lists of problems for each
exam and the homework.
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Recommended Reading

• Textbook
• Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids,
  Nuclei, and Particles , 2nd Edition,
• Robert Eisberg and Robert Resnick (1985).
•  
• Other books you might want to consult
• Quantum Physics, 3rd Edition,
• Stephen Gasiorowicz (2003).
• The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol.III,
• R. Feynman, R. Leighton, M. Sands (1964).
• As Reference for selected topics Quantum
  Mechanics,
• C. Choen-Tannoudji, B. Diu, F. Laloe (1992).

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PHYS 485 Makeup Time Day
Poll What is the best time to schedule a Makeup
Class if necessary? I will try to avoid
this but it might become necessary 2 times,
to acommodate travel to my experiment at
BNL Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday 2-3.20pm 3-4.20pm 4-5.20pm
5-6.20pm 6-7.20pm 7-8.20pm 8-9.20pm Please
raise your hand for times that will not work for
you!
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Quantum Mechanics
Scope Quantitative description of phenomena
observed in atoms, molecules,
nuclei, elementary particles and condensed matter
(in the non-relativistic
limit). The goals of this course are to
(a) review the basic concepts of quantum
mechanics (b) study its applications
for a broad range of different
areas atoms, molecules, condensed matter and
nuclei.
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Why Quantum Mechanics ?
In the late 19th and early 20th century
physics experiments increasingly gain access
to microscopic observables
However, attempts to describe
atomic particles as
point masses governed by the laws of
classical
mechanics and field theory (EM) fail for an
increasing
set of experimental observations.
Examples Thermal radiation
ultraviolet catastrophe for black body
radiators
(? Wednesday!) Atomic spectra
discrete optical emission lines! Intrinsic
orbital angular momentum spin phenomena,
eg. Stern Gerlach experiment can not
be explained in the
framework of classic physics
Superconductivity again, no classical
explanation
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A Current Example on How Well Classical Physics
Works!
Classical EM allows perfect description of
currents and voltages in case of an events that
leads to the loss of superconductivity in the g-2
magnet
Fit of classical transformer eqns. to highly
precise data !
World largest superconducting solenoid upon
arrival at Fermi-Lab in July 2013
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Why Quantum Mechanics ?
In the late 19th and early 20th century
physics experiments increasingly gain access
to microscopic observables
However, attempts to describe
atomic particles as
point masses governed by the laws of
classical
mechanics and field theory (EM) fail for an
increasing
set of experimental observations.
Examples Thermal radiation
ultraviolet catastrophe for black body
radiators
(? Wednesday!) Atomic spectra
discrete optical emission lines! Intrinsic
orbital angular momentum spin phenomena,
eg. Stern Gerlach experiment can not
be explained in the
framework of classic physics
Superconductivity again, no classical
explanation
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The Stern Gerlach Experiment
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The Stern Gerlach Experiment
Interesting reading Physics Today article
online Phys. Today 56(12), 53 (2003) doi
10.1063/1.1650229 View online http//dx.doi.org/1
0.1063/1.1650229
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Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics I
Classical mechanics
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Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics II
Electrodynamics
Features of classical particles and waves
? deterministic equations ?
well defined quantities ?
measurements can (in principle) be
precise and non-invasive
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Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics III
Quantum mechanics
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Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics IV
Features of systems governed by quantum physics
? wave-particle duality
? interference ? uncertainty
principle (fundamental limit on measurements)
? quantization of energy levels (atomic
structure) ? entanglement
(Schroedingers cat paradox, Einstein, Podolsky
Rosen, EPR, paradox)
? quantum statistics (Pauli exclusion principle,
Bose condensation) ? condensed
matter (superconductivity) Interpretation/philoso
phical issues interaction of
measurements on system evolution
causality, determinism
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Historical benchmarks in the development of
Quantum Mechanics
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Historical benchmarks in the development of
Quantum Mechanics