PHYC 521/551  Graduate Quantum Mechanics I   Fall 2015


General information          Course overview          Syllabus          Tentative schedule          Problem Sessions          Exams


General information


Monday and Wednesday, 11:00-12:15, P&A 5

Lectures (521):

Monday, 17:30-18:45, P&A 184

Problems (551):

Professor Akimasa Miyake

office: P&A 25,   email: amiyake_at_unm.edu,   office hours: Monday 15:00-17:00, otherwise you may arrange a meeting by appointment.

Instructor:

Keith Sanders

office: P&A 30,   email: sanderss_at_unm.edu,   office hours: Tuesday 14:00-16:00. 

Teaching Assistant:

L. E. Ballentine, "Quantum Mechanics: A Modern Development," World Scientific (required)

Textbook:



Course overview


This is a graduate core course of quantum mechanics, and continues to PHYC 522 "Graduate Quantum Mechanics II" in Spring 2016. As seen in the syllabus, the basics of quantum mechanics are taught in a self-contained manner at the level more sophisticated than the undergraduate counterpart PHYC 491. The course is suitable for graduate students or students who have learned quantum mechanics once, in order to brush up understanding of quantum theory and to master its mathematical treatments. We adapt modern pedagogy of active learning in classroom.

Its associated problems session PHYC 551 should be registered as well. It is quite important to do exercise, in order to digest notions and methods in quantum mechanics learned in the lectures. Weekly exercises also facilitate preparations for the preliminary exam. The session is used partially for mid-term exams.

The final grade will be determined based on performance of exams and assignments (their weights are 90 % and 10 % respectively, for now). Their problems will be largely selected from the problems found at the end of chapters. Each mid-term exam is arranged after a couple of chapters are completed. That is how you can study rather narrow, clearly-defined selections of materials for every exam, while they are still fresh in your mind. Overall it is expected that your learning is more effective and at the same time the load by the course is less stressful this way. 



Syllabus

The textbook provides materials enough for a year-long course, so it is expected that we cover roughly a former half in Fall largely according to the order of chapters. If time permits, I will explain briefly recent research activities related to quantum mechanics and quantum information.

0. Introduction   [Lecture note on the chapter 0]

1. Mathematical Prerequisites   [Lecture note on the chapter 1]

2. The Formulation of Quantum Mechanics   [Lecture note on the chapter 2]

3. Kinematics and Dynamics   [Lecture note on the chapter 3]

4. Coordinate Representation and Applications   [Lecture note on the chapter 4]

5. Momentum Representations and Applications   [Lecture note on the chapter 5]

6. The Harmonic Oscillator   [Lecture note on the chapter 6]



Tentative schedule

Last updated on December 16, 2015

Dates
Subjects
Assignments/Exams
Aug. 17  Mon
 Course overview
No problem session
Aug. 19  Wed
1. Mathematical Prerequisites

Aug. 24  Mon
1. Mathematical Prerequisites Problem session 1
Aug. 26  Wed
1. Mathematical Prerequisites
Aug. 31  Mon
1. Mathematical Prerequisites Problem session 2
Sep. 2  Wed
2. Formulations of Quantum Mechanics
Sep. 7  Mon
Labor day holiday
Sep. 9  Wed
2. Formulations of Quantum Mechanics

Sep. 14  Mon
2. Formulations of Quantum Mechanics Problem session 3
Sep. 16  Wed
2. Formulations of Quantum Mechanics
Sep. 21  Mon
3. Kinematics and Dynamics Problem session 4
Sep. 23  Wed
3. Kinematics and Dynamics

Sep. 28  Mon
3. Kinematics and Dynamics Problem session 5
Sep. 30  Wed
3. Kinematics and Dynamics
Oct. 5  Mon
3. Kinematics and Dynamics Problem session 6
Oct. 7  Wed
3. Kinematics and Dynamics
Oct. 12  Mon
3. Kinematics and Dynamics Problem session 7
Oct. 14  Wed
Mid-term exam 1
Oct. 19  Mon
3. Kinematics and Dynamics Problem session 8
Oct. 21  Wed
4. Coordinate Representation

Oct. 26  Mon
4. Coordinate Representation Problem session 9
Oct. 28  Wed
4. Coordinate Representation
Nov. 2  Mon
4. Momentum Representation
Problem session 10
Nov. 4  Wed
4. Momentum Representation
Nov. 9  Mon
5. Momentum Representation Assignment 1 is posted
Problem session 11
Nov. 11  Wed
5. Momentum Representation
Nov. 16  Mon
5. Momentum Representation Problem session 12
Nov. 18  Wed
6. Harmonic Oscillator

Nov. 23  Mon
6. Harmonic Oscillator Assignment 1 is due
Problem session 13
Nov. 25  Wed
6. Harmonic Oscillator
Nov. 30  Mon
No lecture
Problem session 14
Dec. 2  Wed
6. Harmonic Oscillator
Dec. 9 Wed, 10 am -12 pm
Mid-term exam 2
Assignment 2 is due



Problem Sessions


Students may study subjects of assignments together, but everyone is expected to prepare his/her original answer sheets.

1. Problem sessions 1-6   [Problems and Solutions]

2. Assignment due on November 23   [Problems of previous preliminary exams : L1 of 2005Fa, P1 of 2007Sp, P1 of 2009Sp, P2 of 2011Sp, P5 of 2011Sp, P6 of 2012Sp   Solutions]

3. Assignment due 12:00 pm on December 9   [Problems of previous preliminary exams : L2 of 2005Fa, P4 of 2008Fa, P4 of 2011Fa, P6 of 2012Fa  Solutions]

4. Problem sessions 7-14   [Problems and Solutions]




Exams


Mid-term exams are usually held during the Monday problems session in a closed-book format. No communication with other students is allowed during the exams.

1. Mid-term exam, 11:00-13:00 on October 14 (Wed)   [Materials from Chapter 0 to Chapter 3 Section 3.4     Solutions ]

2. Mid-term exam 10:00-12:00 on December 9 (Wed)   [Materials from Chapter 3 Section 3.5 to Chapter 6     Solutions]