Classical Systems in Quantum Mechanics

Statistical Methods in Quantum Optics 2 - Non-Classical Fields continues the development of the methods used in quantum optics to treat open quantum systems and their fluctuations. Its early chapters build upon the phase-space methods introduced in the first volume Statistical Methods in Quantum Optics 1 - Matter Equations and Fokker-Planck Equations: the difficulties these methods face in treating non-classical light are exposed, where the regime of large fluctuations – failure of the system size expansion – is shown to be particularly problematic. Cavity QED is adopted as a natural vehicle for extending quantum noise theory into this regime. In response to the issues raised, the theory of quantum trajectories is presented as a universal approach to the treatment of fluctuations in open quantum systems.

The aim of this book is to explain the basic concepts and phenomena of quantum mechanics by means of visualization. Computer-generated illustrations in color are used extensively throughout the text, helping to establish the relation between quantum mechanics—wave functions, interference, atomic structure, and so forth—and classical physics—point mechanics, statistical mechanics, and wave optics. Even more important, by studying the pictures in parallel with the text, readers develop an intuition for such notoriously abstract phenomena as

Quantum mechanics is a physical theory for objects of the microcosm, e.g. for atoms or electrons. It has proven itself so far, but leads to the fact that we have to grant properties and relations to these objects, which are neither compatible with our common sense nor with the concepts of classical physics. These peculiarities are presented and their significance for our cognitive faculty and for a world view is discussed.

Quantum Dynamics is a major survey of quantum theory based on Walter Greiner's long-running and highly successful course at the University of Frankfurt. The key to understanding in quantum theory is to reinforce lecture attendance and textual study by working through plenty of representative and detailed examples. Firm belief in this principle led Greiner to develop his unique course and to transform it into a remarkable and comprehensive text. The text features a large number of examples and exercises involving many of the most advanced topics in quantum theory. These examples give practical and precise demonstrations of how to use the often subtle mathematics behind quantum theory. The text is divided into five volumes: Quantum Mechanics I - An Introduction, Quantum Mechanics II - Symmetries, Relativistic Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Electrodynamics, Gauge Theory of Weak Interactions. These five volumes take the reader from the fundamental postulates of quantum mechanics up to the latest research in particle physics. Volume 1, Quantum Mechanics I - An Introduction, lays the foundation for the rest of the course. Starting from black-body radiation, the photo-electric effect and wave-particle duality, Greiner goes on to discuss the uncertainty relations, spin and many-body systems, then discusses applications to the hydrogen atom and the Stern-Gerlach and Einstein-de Haas experiments. The mathematics of representation theory, S-matrices, perturbation theory, eigenvalues and hypergeometric differential equations are presented in detail, with 84 fully and carefully worked examples and exercises to consolidate the material. Volume 2 presents a particularly appealing and successful theme in advanced quantum mechanics - symmetries. After a brief introduction to symmetries in classical mechanics, the text turns to their relevance in quantum mechanics, the consequences of rotation symmetry and the general theory of Lie groups. The Isospin group, hypercharge, SU (3) and their applications are all dealt with in depth before a chapter on charm and SU (3) leads to the frontiers of research in particle physics. Almost a hundred detailed, worked examples and problems make this a truly unique text on a fascinating side of modern physics.

This book contains a revised and expanded version of the lecture notes of two seminar series given during the academic year 1976/77 at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics of the University of Calgary, and in the summer of 1978 at the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the Technical University Clausthal. The aim of the seminars was to present geometric quantization from the point of view· of its applica­ tions to quantum mechanics, and to introduce the quantum dynamics of various physical systems as the result of the geometric quantization of the classical dynamics of these systems.