Macquarie University

Quantum Physics II - PHYS304

Quantum mechanics is perhaps the most fundamental of all theories of modern physics. While its consequences are most readily seen in the microscopic world of elementary particles, atoms and molecules, it provides a set of rules that apply to all physical phenomena: the universe as a whole is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is a theory of information: what information we can gain about the physical world, what the restrictions are on what we can gain, and how this information can be manipulated.
This unit looks at quantum mechanics in greater depth than PHYS301. After an introduction to Hilbert Space we cover the basic mathematic structure of quantum mechanics including Dirac notation, linear operators, Unitary operators and the generalization to continuous spaces. We cover the foundations of quantum mechanics, including the Heisenberg and Schrodinger picture, Tensor products and an introduction to the density operator. The Harmonic Oscillator is covered in some detail using both the position and operator methods. Elements of angular momentum are covered and the time evolution of a spin-1/2 system is detailed. Quantum optics is introduced, a topic which has widespread applications, and in this section we cover quantization of the optical field, introduce coherent states and describe the physics behind the quantum interaction of light and atoms.

Timetable Information

For unit timetable information and session dates for external offerings please visit the Timetables@Macquarie Website.