Physics 137B course page

Fall 2007
Department of Physics
University of California, Berkeley

Lectures: 9:30-11, TuTh 9 Evans Hall
Discussions: 2-3 Tu in 121 Latimer (but still in 9 Evans on 9/11)
or 3-4 W in 9 Evans
Instructor office hour: Tu 1-2, 549 Birge Hall
GSI office hour: W 1-2, F 3-4, 465 Birge Hall
Office hours 11/27 rescheduled: questions by email or by appt.

Syllabus

8/28/07: review and introduction. 137A ended with topics in Bransden chapters 6 (spin) and 10 (identical particles).
8/30/07: continue review; start time-independent perturbation theory
Problem set 1 due 9/7/07, solutions
9/4/07: more time-independent perturbation theory. Bransden 8.1.
9/6/07: examples of perturbation theory; start degenerate case. Bransden 8.2.
Problem set 2 due 9/14/07, solutions
9/11/07: degenerate perturbation theory. Bransden 8.2.
9/13/07: spin-orbit coupling; variational method. Bransden 8.3.
Problem set 3 due 9/21/07, solutions
9/18/07: WKB method. Start time-dependent perturbation theory. Bransden 9.1.
9/20/07: Time-dependent perturbation theory. Bransden 9.1.
Problem set 4 due 9/28/07, solutions
9/25/07: Fermi's golden rule for constant perturbations. Sudden approx. Bransden 9.2 and 9.5.
9/27/07: Sinusoidal perturbations. Adiabatic approximation. Bransden 9.3-4, 11.2.
Problem set 5 due 10/5/07, solutions
10/2/07: Electric dipole transitions: formulas for rates. Bransden 11.3.
10/4/07: Dipole selection rules. Bransden 11.4.
10/9/07: Midterm I (no problem set this week). midterm and solutions
10/11/07: Lorentzian distribution and convolution theorem. Bransden 11.5.
Problem set 6 due 10/19/07, solutions
10/16/07: Thomas-Fermi model and molecular excitations.
10/18/07: Introduction to scattering theory. Bransden 13.
Problem set 7 due 10/26/07, solutions
10/23/07: More scattering. Bransden 13.
10/25/07: Finish scattering. Bransden 13.
Problem set 8 due 11/02/07, solutions
10/30/07: Density matrices. Bransden 14.
11/1/07: Einstein derivation of spontaneous emission. Bransden 11.3.
Problem set 9 due 11/09/07, solutions
11/6/07: Photoionization.
11/8/07: Laser action. Stark effect.
11/13/07: Midterm II review.
11/15/07: Midterm II. Review sheet, exam & solutions.
11/20/07: Adiabatic approximation in more detail. "Berry phase" idea.
11/22/07: Holiday (no pset due 11/23)
Problem set 10 due 11/30/07, solutions
11/27/07: Identical particle scattering.
11/29/07: Coherent states.
12/4/07: Entanglement and reduced density matrix.
Problem set 11 due 12/7/07, solutions
12/10/07: Final review sheet. 5 pm review session, 325 LeConte
Practice final, solutions
12/15/07: (8-11 am) FINAL EXAM, 241 Cory Hall

While there are no labs for this course, you might enjoy the virtual Zeeman experiment here.

Lecture notes: most packets are around 1 MB (~ 10 pages)
Review (more than in class): notes 1, notes 2, notes 3 (notes 3 is just 2 pages)
Time-independent perturbation theory: notes 4
More perturbation theory, fine structure: notes 5
Variational method, WKB, start time-dep PT: notes 6
More time-dep PT: notes 7, notes 8
Interaction of light with matter and selection rules: notes 9
Lorentzian distribution: notes 10
Molecules and other many-particle systems: notes 11
Density matrices: notes 12
Supplements: degenerate-state perturbations, origin of SO coupling, Einstein approach to spontaneous emission, quick derivation of Boltzmann factor: notes 13
Photoionization, masers/lasers, Stark effect: notes 14
Adiabatic approximation, identical particle collisions, coherent states: notes 15
Quantum information (reduced density matrix and entanglement): notes 16

Books on course reserve in Physics/Astronomy Library, 40 Doe Hall
Quantum Mechanics, 2nd ed., Bransden and Joachain (required)
selected others

Instructor contact information

Joel Moore, Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
Office: 549 Birge Hall
Mail: 366 Le Conte #7300
Berkeley, CA 94720-7300
(510)642-8313
jemoore AT socrates.berkeley.edu