Operators eigenvalues

To extract infomiation from the wavefimction about properties other than the probability density, additional postulates are needed. All of these rely upon the mathematical concepts of operators, eigenvalues and eigenfiinctions. An extensive discussion of these important elements of the fomialism of quantum mechanics is precluded by space limitations. For fiirther details, the reader is referred to the reading list supplied at the end of this chapter. In quantum mechanics, the classical notions of position, momentum, energy etc are replaced by mathematical operators that act upon the wavefunction to provide infomiation about the system. The third postulate relates to certain properties of these operators ... 

Remember that ai is the representation of g(x) in the fi basis. So the operator eigenvalue equation is equivalent to the matrix eigenvalue problem if the functions fi form a complete set. 

We have not yet specified if the operator to be handled is Hermitian (real eigenvalues) or whether it is a relaxation operator (eigenvalues either real or in the lower half of the complex plane). Uie moment problem related to a Hermitian operator is addressed as the classical moment problem, while by relaxation moment problem we mean the treatment of relaxation operators. 

Another situation in which error bounds can be provided is in the calculation of a correlation function of a piuely dissipative operator (eigenvalues = —1 , > 0, on the negative imaginary axis), earlier discussed in this... 

The zeroth order Hamiltonian is a sum of one-dimensional harmonic oscillator operators. Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of H0 are designated according to the equation,... 

Often one wants to solve an operator eigenvalue equation in two steps. Rather than in transforming the matrix representation H of the Hamiltonian H in an orthonormal basis by a unitary transformation... 

The operator eigenvalue problem (19) is thus replaced by the matrix eigenvalue problem... 

The semi-relativistic multiple scattering model of ref. [Ra85] starts mth the following operator eigenvalue equation for the pA system ... 

Operators that correspond to physical observables are Hermitian operators. Eigenvalues and expectation values of Hermitian operators are real numbers. Eigenfunctions of a Hermitian operator are orthogonal functions. Some pairs of operators commute, and some do not. When a complete set of functions are simultaneously eigenfunctions of a set of operators, then every pair of operators in that set commutes. 

While not unique, the Scluodinger picture of quantum mechanics is the most familiar to chemists principally because it has proven to be the simplest to use in practical calculations. Hence, the remainder of this section will focus on the Schrodinger fomuilation and its associated wavefiinctions, operators and eigenvalues. Moreover, effects associated with the special theory of relativity (which include spin) will be ignored in this subsection. Treatments of alternative fomuilations of quantum mechanics and discussions of relativistic effects can be found in the reading list that accompanies this chapter. 

If the system property is measured, the only values that can possibly be observed are those that correspond to eigenvalues of the quantum-mechanical operator 4. 

The last identity follows from the orthogonality property of eigenfunctions and the assumption of nomralization. The right-hand side in the final result is simply equal to the sum over all eigenvalues of the operator (possible results of the measurement) multiplied by the respective probabilities. Hence, an important corollary to the fiftli postulate is established ... 

The fifth postulate and its corollary are extremely important concepts. Unlike classical mechanics, where everything can in principle be known with precision, one can generally talk only about the probabilities associated with each member of a set of possible outcomes in quantum mechanics. By making a measurement of the quantity A, all that can be said with certainty is that one of the eigenvalues of /4 will be observed, and its probability can be calculated precisely. However, if it happens that the wavefiinction corresponds to one of the eigenfunctions of the operator A, then and only then is the outcome of the experiment certain the measured value of A will be the corresponding eigenvalue. 

Close inspection of equation (A 1.1.45) reveals that, under very special circumstances, the expectation value does not change with time for any system properties that correspond to fixed (static) operator representations. Specifically, if tlie spatial part of the time-dependent wavefiinction is the exact eigenfiinction ). of the Hamiltonian, then Cj(0) = 1 (the zero of time can be chosen arbitrarily) and all other (O) = 0. The second tenn clearly vanishes in these cases, which are known as stationary states. As the name implies, all observable properties of these states do not vary with time. In a stationary state, the energy of the system has a precise value (the corresponding eigenvalue of //) as do observables that are associated with operators that connmite with ft. For all other properties (such as the position and momentum). 

The Flamiltonian commutes widi the angular momentum operator as well as that for the square of the angular momentum I . The wavefiinctions above are also eigenfiinctions of these operators, with eigenvalues tndi li-zland It should be emphasized that the total angular momentum is L = //(/ + )/j,... 

We now show what happens if we set up tire Hamiltonian matrix using basis functions i ), tiiat are eigenfiinctions of Fand with eigenvalues given by ( equation A1.4.5) and (equation Al.4.6). We denote this particular choice of basis fiinctions as ij/" y. From (equation Al.4.3). (equation A1.4.5) and the fact that F is a Hemiitian operator, we derive... 

The solution of any such eigenvalue problem requires a number of computer operations that scales as the dimension of the F matrix to the third power. Since the indices on the F matrix label AOs, this means... 

The problem is then reduced to the representation of the time-evolution operator [104,105]. For example, the Lanczos algorithm could be used to generate the eigenvalues of H, which can be used to set up the representation of the exponentiated operator. Again, the methods are based on matrix-vector operations, but now much larger steps are possible. 

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