No Arabic abstract
Quantum technology is seeing a remarkable explosion in interest due to a wave of successful commercial technology. As a wider array of engineers and scientists are needed, it is time we rethink quantum educational paradigms. Current approaches often start from classical physics, linear algebra, or differential equations. This chapter advocates for beginning with probability theory. In the approach outlined in this chapter, there is less in the way of explicit axioms of quantum mechanics. Instead the historically problematic measurement axiom is inherited from probability theory where many philosophical debates remain. Although not a typical route in introductory material, this route is nonetheless a standard vantage on quantum mechanics. This chapter outlines an elementary route to arrive at the Schrodinger equation by considering allowable transformations of quantum probability functions (density matrices). The central tenet of this chapter is that probability theory provides the best conceptual and mathematical foundations for introducing the quantum sciences.
The primary emphasis of this study has been to explain how modifying a cake recipe by changing either the dimensions of the cake or the amount of cake batter alters the baking time. Restricting our consideration to the genoise, one of the basic cakes of classic French cuisine, we have obtained a semi-empirical formula for its baking time as a function of oven temperature, initial temperature of the cake batter, and dimensions of the unbaked cake. The formula, which is based on the Diffusion equation, has three adjustable parameters whose values are estimated from data obtained by baking genoises in cylindrical pans of various diameters. The resulting formula for the baking time exhibits the scaling behavior typical of diffusion processes, i.e. the baking time is proportional to the (characteristic length scale)^2 of the cake. It also takes account of evaporation of moisture at the top surface of the cake, which appears to be a dominant factor affecting the baking time of a cake. In solving this problem we have obtained solutions of the Diffusion equation which are interpreted naturally and straightforwardly in the context of heat transfer; however, when interpreted in the context of the Schrodinger equation, they are somewhat peculiar. The solutions describe a system whose mass assumes different values in two different regions of space. Furthermore, the solutions exhibit characteristics similar to the evanescent modes associated with light waves propagating in a wave guide. When we consider the Schrodinger equation as a non-relativistic limit of the Klein-Gordon equation so that it includes a mass term, these are no longer solutions.
A simple model of quantum particle is proposed in which the particle in a {it macroscopic} rest frame is represented by a {it microscopic d}-dimensional oscillator, {it s=(d-1)/2} being the spin of the particle. The state vectors are defined simply by complex combinations of coordinates and momenta. It is argued that the observables of the system are Hermitian forms (corresponding uniquely to Hermitian matrices). Quantum measurements transforms the equilibrium state obtained after preparation into a family of equilibrium states corresponding to the critical values of the measured observable appearing as values of a random quantity associated with the observable. Our main assumptions state that: i) in the process of measurement the measured observable tends to minimum, and ii) the mean value of every random quantity associated with an observable in some state is proportional to the value of the corresponding observable at the same state. This allows to obtain in a very simple manner the Born rule.
Effective mass Schrodinger equation is solved exactly for a given potential. Nikiforov-Uvarov method is used to obtain energy eigenvalues and the corresponding wave functions. A free parameter is used in the transformation of the wave function. The effective mass Schrodinger equation is also solved for the Morse potential transforming to the constant mass Schr{o}dinger equation for a potential. One can also get solution of the effective mass Schrodinger equation starting from the constant mass Schrodinger equation.
The Schrodinger equation in the presence of an external electromagnetic field is an important problem in computational quantum mechanics. It also provides a nice example of a differential equation whose flow can be split with benefit into three parts. After presenting a splitting approach for three operators with two of them being unbounded, we exemplarily prove first-order convergence of Lie splitting in this framework. The result is then applied to the magnetic Schrodinger equation, which is split into its potential, kinetic and advective parts. The latter requires special treatment in order not to lose the conservation properties of the scheme. We discuss several options. Numerical examples in one, two and three space dimensions show that the method of characteristics coupled with a nonequispaced fast Fourier transform (NFFT) provides a fast and reliable technique for achieving mass conservation at the discrete level.
The Schr{o}dinger equation is solved exactly for some well known potentials. Solutions are obtained reducing the Schr{o}dinger equation into a second order differential equation by using an appropriate coordinate transformation. The Nikiforov-Uvarov method is used in the calculations to get energy eigenvalues and the corresponding wave functions.