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Time evolution operator

Physics Asked on June 22, 2021

$renewcommand{ket}[1]{left lvert #1 rightrangle}$
$renewcommand{bra}[1]{left langle #1 rightrvert}$
I start with this expression for the Hamiltonian:
$$H = a left(ket{1} bra{1} – ket{2}bra{2} -i ket{1}bra{2} + i ket{2} bra{1}right) , .$$
Then I write the matrix on on the basis used in the expression above.
I calculate the eigenvalues that are $E_1=sqrt{2}a$ and $E_2=-sqrt{2}a$
Then I wrote the the matrix of the hamiltonion in the basis of the eigenstates (matrix $mathbf{A}$). The basis of eigenstates is $ket{mu_1}$ and $ket{mu_2}$.

Define $E_0 equiv sqrt{2}a$

Given the matrix of the Hamiltonian :
begin{equation*}
mathbf A =
begin{pmatrix}
E_0 & 0
0 & -E_0
end{pmatrix}
end{equation*}

And two matrices $mathbf B$ and $mathbf C$:

begin{equation*}
mathbf B =
begin{pmatrix}
0 & -i
i & 0
end{pmatrix}
end{equation*}

begin{equation*}
mathbf C =
begin{pmatrix}
2 & -isqrt{2} &
isqrt{2} & 1
end{pmatrix}
end{equation*}

One of the questions is to perform the measurement in operator $mathbf B$ and obtain eigenvalue $1$. Now after some time a new measurement was made in $mathbf B$ (knowing that $mathbf C$ wasn’t measured) what is the probability of obtaining value $1$ again?

I thought the first step was to write the expression for the time evolution, thats why I asked the initial question. But I don’t get the solutions of my teacher? which is this expression:

$$ket{psi(t)} = frac{1}{sqrt{2}} left( e^{-ifrac{E_1}{hbar}t}ket{mu_1}+e^{-ifrac{E_2}{hbar}t}iket{mu_2} right) tag{ii}$$

I don’t get why $ket{mu_2}$ is multiplied by $i$? I thought I have understand the process but this problem really confused me.

One Answer

$renewcommand{ket}[1]{left lvert #1 rightrangle}$ $renewcommand{bra}[1]{left langle #1 rightrvert}$ To my best guess, the problem started with a Hamiltonian from some bases $ket{1}$ and $ket{2}$. Let me neglect the parameter $a$. It is irrelevant for now.

$$tag{1} H = left(ket{1} bra{1} - ket{2}bra{2} -i ket{1}bra{2} + i ket{2} bra{1}right) , . $$

This Hamiltonian has two eigen values $E_1 = sqrt{2}$ and $E_2 = -sqrt{2}$. The eigen state $ket{mu_1}$ of eigenvalue $E_1$, and $ket{mu_2}$ for $E_2$.

Then an operator $mathbf B$, its matrix form in terms of these two bases $ket{mu_1}$ and $ket{mu_2}$ are:

$$ mathbf B = begin{pmatrix} 0 & -i i & 0 end{pmatrix} $$

Two eigenvalues for matrix $mathbf B$ is $lambda_pm= pm 1$. The eigen vector for $lambda_+= 1$ can be easily found to be:

$$ tag{2} ket{lambda_+} = frac{1}{sqrt{2}} left( , ket{mu_1} + i ,ket{mu_2},right) $$

Now, we perform a measurement and find value of $mathbf B$ is $1$. It means the state is in $psi(0) = ket{lambda_+}$. Therefore, the time evolution for $psi$:

$$ psi(t) = e^{-imathbf Ht}psi(0)= e^{-imathbf Ht} frac{1}{sqrt 2} left( , ket{mu_1} + i ,ket{mu_2},right) = frac{1}{sqrt 2} left( e^{-iE_1t} ket{mu_1} + e^{-iE_2t}i ,ket{mu_2},right) $$

This resembles the hand writing of your teacher. Therefore, I guess that the factor $i$ is the coefficient of the eigen vector of matrix $mathbf B$.

$$ vec{v} = frac{1}{sqrt{2}} begin{pmatrix} 1 iend{pmatrix}. $$

Correct answer by ytlu on June 22, 2021

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