PH403: Quantum Mechanics I
Course Information
Instructor: Alok Shukla
Office: Room 221, Physics Bldg.
Phone: X-7576
E-mail: shukla@phy.iitb.ac.in
Office Hours: Feel free to drop in anytime.

Course Outline

This course is all about an introduction to quantum mechanics. I will assume that you have some knowledge of partial differential equations and basics of linear algebra. Apart from that, no other prior background will be assumed. I plan to cover the following topics during the semester:
  1. Why quantum mechanics? Louie de Broglie's hypothesis and wave-particle duality. Young's double slit experiment with electrons and photons and other experiments. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
  2. Wave function and Schrdinger equation. Born interpretation of the wave function. Solution of the Schrdinger equation for simple cases such as: (a) free particle, (b) potential barriers, (c) potential wells etc. Discussion of a wave packet for the free particle case.
  3. Exactly solvable problems in quantum mechanics: solving the Schrdinger equation for the simple harmonic oscillator and hydrogen atom.
  4. Mathematical tools of quantum mechanics. Wave function space. State space and Dirac notation. Observables and operators. Eigenvalue equations. Representations in the state space.
  5. Postulates of quantum mechanics and their physical interpretation.
  6. Applications of the postulates of quantum mechanics to spin- 1 2 and two-level systems. Stern-Gerlach experiment.
  7. Creation and annihilation operator approach to the simple harmonic oscillator.
  8. Spherically symmetric potentials and angular momentum in quantum mechanics. Angular momentum operators and their commutation relations. General theory of angular momentum.

Suggested Books

We are fortunate that a large number of excellent textbooks have been written on this subject. Most of the textbooks cover the topics mentioned above quite nicely. I am listing quite a few textbooks below, and it will be good if you have a personal copy of at least one of these. Cheap Indian editions of most of these books are available.
  1. Quantum Mechanics I and II, by C. Cohen-Tannoudji, B. Diu, F. Lalo, John Wiley and Sons (1977).
  2. Modern Quantum Mechanics, by J. J. Sakurai, Pearson Education Asia (1994).
  3. Quantum Mechanics (3rd edn), by E. Merzbacher, John Wiley & Sons (1998).
  4. Introductory Quantum Mechanics (4th edn), by R. Liboff, Addison Wesley (2002).
  5. Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn), by B. H. Bransden and C. J. Joachain, Prentice Hall (2000).
  6. Principles of Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn), by R. Shankar, Plenum Press (1994).
  7. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn) by D. J. Griffiths, Prentice Hall (2004).
  8. Quantum Physics (3rd edn), by S. Gasiorowicz, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (2003).
Additionally, the books listed below are older classics, but are still a joy to read. You can find them in our library. Indian editions of the books by Feynman and Dirac are available in bookstores.
  1. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, by R. H. Dicke and JP Witke, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1960).
  2. Quantum Mechanics vols I and II, by A. Messiah, North Holland Publishing Co. (1961).
  3. Lectures on Quantum Mechanics, by G. Baym, Benjamin Cummings (1974).
  4. Quantum Mechanics (3rd edn), by L. I. Schiff, Mc Graw Hill (1968).
  5. The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, by P. A .M. Dirac, Clarendon Press, Oxford (1958).
  6. Feynman Lectures in Physics Vol III: Quantum Mechanics, by R. Feynman, R. Leighton, and M. Sands, Addison-Wesley (1964).

Attendance Requirements

IIT Bombay rules require that all students attend at least 80% of the lectures in each course. This is precisely what I also expect you to follow.

Examinations and Grading

Your final grade will be based upon your performance in the following:
  1. Quizzes (2) 10 %+10 %
  2. Midsem Exam: 30 %
  3. Final Exam: 50 %

Lecture Notes (Handwritten scanned)

  1. Chapter 1
  2. Chapter 2
    1. Part 1
    2. Part 2
  3. Chapter 3
    1. Part 1
    2. Part 2
    3. Part 3
    4. Part 4
  4. Chapter 4
  5. Chapter 5
  6. Chapter 6
    1. Part 1
    2. Part 2
    3. Part 3
  7. Chapter 7

Tutorial Sheets

  1. Tutorial Sheet 1
  2. Tutorial Sheet 2
  3. Tutorial Sheet 3
  4. Tutorial Sheet 4
  5. Tutorial Sheet 5
  6. Tutorial Sheet 6
  7. Tutorial Sheet 7
  8. Tutorial Sheet 8