Quantum Mechanics, Volume 3

This new, third volume of Cohen-Tannoudji's groundbreaking textbook covers advanced topics of quantum mechanics such as uncorrelated and correlated identical particles, the quantum theory of the electromagnetic field, absorption, emission and scattering of photons by atoms, and quantum entanglement. Written in a didactically unrivalled manner, the textbook explains the fundamental concepts in seven chapters which are elaborated in accompanying complements that provide more detailed discussions, examples and applications.

• Completing the success story: the third and final volume of the quantum mechanics textbook written by 1997 Nobel laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and his colleagues Bernard Diu and Franck Laloë
• As easily comprehensible as possible: all steps of the physical background and its mathematical representation are spelled out explicitly
• Comprehensive: in addition to the fundamentals themselves, the books comes with a wealth of elaborately explained examples and applications

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris where he also studied and received his PhD in 1962. In 1973 he became Professor of atomic and molecular physics at the Collège des France. His main research interests were optical pumping, quantum optics and atom-photon interactions. In 1997, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms.

Bernard Diu was Professor at the Denis Diderot University (Paris VII). He was engaged in research at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and High Energy where his focus was on strong interactions physics and statistical mechanics.

Franck Laloë was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. His first assignment was with the University of Paris VI before he was appointed to the CNRS, the French National Research Center. His research was focused on optical pumping, statistical mechanics of quantum gases, musical acoustics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Autorentext

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji is a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris where he also studied and received his PhD in 1962. In 1973 he became Professor of atomic and molecular physics at the Collège des France. His main research interests were optical pumping, quantum optics and atom-photon interactions. In 1997, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms.

Bernard Diu was Professor at the Denis Diderot University (Paris VII). He was engaged in research at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and High Energy where his focus was on strong interactions physics and statistical mechanics.

Franck Laloë is a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. His first assignment was with the University of Paris VI before he was appointed to the CNRS, the French National Research Center. His research was focused on optical pumping, statistical mechanics of quantum gases, musical acoustics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Inhalt
CREATION AND ANNIHILATION OPERATORS FOR IDENTICAL PARTICLES
General Formalism
One-Particle Symmetric Operators
Two-Particle Operators
Complements
FIELD OPERATOR
Definition of the Field Operator
Symmetric Operators
Time Evolution of the Field Operator (Heisenberg Point of View)
Relation to Field Quantization
Complements
PAIRED STATES OF IDENTICAL PARTICLES
Creation and Annihilation Operators of a Pair of Particles
Building Paired States
Properties of the Kets Characterizing the Paired States
Correlations Between Particles, Pair Wave Function
Paired States as a Quasi-Particle Vacuum;
Bogolubov-Valatin Transformations
REVIEW OF CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS
Classical Electrodynamics
Describing the Transverse Field as an Ensemble of Harmonic Oscillators
Complements
QUANTIZATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
Quantization of the Radiation in the Coulomb Gauge
Photons, Elementary Excitations of the Free Quantum ?eld
Description of the Interactions
Complements
ABSORPTION, EMISSION AND SCATTERING OF PHOTONS BY ATOMS
A Basic Tool: the Evolution Operator
Photon Absorption Between Two Discrete Atomic Levels
Stimulated and Spontaneous Emissions
Role of Correlation Functions in One-Photon Processes
Photon Scattering by an Atom
Complements
QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT, MEASUREMENTS, BELL'S INEQUALITIES
Introducing Entanglement, Goals of This Chapter
Entangled States of Two Spin-1/2 Systems
Entanglement Between More General Systems
Ideal Measurement and Entangled States
"Which Path" Experiment: Can One Determine the Path Followed by the Photon in Young's Double Slit
Entanglement, Non-Locality, Bell's Theorem
Complements
APPENDIX: FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL
Quantum Propagator of a Particle
Interpretation in Terms of Classical Histories
Discussion. A New Quantization Rule
Operators
APPENDIX: LAGRANGE MULTIPLIERS
Function of Two Variables
Function of N Variables
APPENDIX: BRIEF REVIEW OF QUANTUM STATISTICAL MECHANICS
Statistical Ensembles
Intensive or Extensive Physical Quantities
APPENDIX: WIGNER TRANSFORM
Delta Function of an Operator
Wigner Distribution of the Density Operator (Spinless Particle)
Wigner Transform of an Operator
Generalizations
Discussion: Wigner Distribution and Quantum Effects