Graduate Course: Quantum Physics

John Venables, Dept of Physics and Astronomy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

PHY 571: Quantum Physics (Spring 2001)

This Quantum Physics course is being given in Spring 2001 with a regular catalog PHY 571 label for the first time; the line number is 20371. [Note that the printed class schedule still has it as PHY 598 ST: Quantum Mechanics; please ignore this entry, as the courses are one and the same]. My other ASU graduate course is PHY 598 ST: Surfaces and Thin Films, which is also being given in Spring 2001. Some of you may be interested to access a related course Quantum Mechanical Models of Solids, given in Fall '99 at Sussex University in England, and recently repeated in Fall 2000.

If you are interested in joining the course, now or in future, click here.

This panel was for students on course in Spring 2001. If you wish to check how the course proceeded in other years, click 2002, 2003 or return to the current course.

Start by consulting the timetable #1, which contains room numbers and office hours as well as lecture times and assignment deadlines.

The diagnostic test was taken on January 31st, with feedback given in class on the February 2nd and to each person separately as needed. This was based on some of the background material contained in Gasiorowicz chapters 1, 2 and parts of 3. A page on Fourier transforms was developed in collaboration with students in 1998, and was further developed last year.

Problem set #1 was collected on 7th February. Four questions out of 6 were expected; this is now the final version of this set.

Eigenfunction problems are listed as set out in the course text, and some of these problems are on Problem set #2. This set, which is now the final version, was due on Friday 23rd February, at the beginning of class. Five questions out of 7 were expected.

The midterm exam took place on Wednesday, 7th March as a 50 minute closed book exam, featuring mainly concepts.

For after Spring Break timetable #2 has been developed, along with a suitable set of references.

Problem set #3 was due on March 28th and was given back on April 2nd. Five questions out of 7 were expected. A web page on matrix methods was developed in 1998 with the help of three students, and was updated last year. If you are going to do an individual project, you should be well started by now.

Problem set #4 was due on Friday, April 20th; the final version is now posted and no more late submissions will be accepted.

Problem set #5 is due on Friday, May 4th, before the final exam on May 7th. Comprehensive exam problems may also be submitted as substitute questions for sets 4 and 5. Projects which are being individually arranged are also due on May 4th.

If you have questions during this course, please see me in person or email me at john.venables@asu.edu.

The line number for this course in Spring 2001 is 20371.

This course is for several sets of students, including Track II Physics and Astronomy students, and students in the SEM program, all of whom previously took PHY 471, which is no longer available. It can also be useful for Engineering and Chemistry students, even though alternative courses are available. In 2001, this is the fourth time that the course has been given, but is the first time it has had a regular catalog number PHY 571. Even this may cause some confusion, since the printed Schedule still has it as PHY 598 ST: Quantum Mechanics. However, this has been corrected in the web version, with a new line number 20371.

In 1998, I consulted widely with faculty and students about the choice of material, books and problems to be set. During the course, I built up some web-based resources, and links to further sources of information and animations, with student input. These resources have been further developed from this page as the course proceeded.

If you are interested in attending this course, please email me at john.venables@asu.edu giving some details of your background and needs. The main book for the course is: Quantum Physics, 2nd Edition by Stephen Gasiorowicz, a 1996 book published by John Wiley (ISBN 0-471-85737-8). A list of corrections, with of course suitable disclaimers, can be found here. There is also a related Quantum Mechanics Simulations (ISBN 0-471-54884-7) which is optional for the course, but which I use for demonstrations and optional problems. These simulations are curently available on the University IT servers. An additional option is Introductory Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Edition by Richard L. Liboff, a 1998 book published by Addison-Wesley (ISBN 0-201-87879).

These books have been ordered by the bookshop. I would advise you also to have access to a quantum physics, chemistry or whatever book which is nearer to your subject interest. That way, we can cater for individual needs to an extent as the course proceeds. Students with a chemistry background may wish to have access to Molecular Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Edition by P.W. Atkins and R.S. Friedman, a 1997 book published by Oxford in both hardback (ISBN 0-19-855948) and paperback (ISBN 0-19-855947X) editions.

Latest version of this document: 29th April 2001, amended 16 Feb and 17 Dec 2003.