Identical Particles: MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology

MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology
Phys241 Quantum Mechanics

Summary on Feynman Lectures on Physics
Identical Particles
Author:
Kenneth M. Senados
Professor:
Salasa A. Nawang, Ph.D.
July 4, 2014
Contents
1 Identical Particles 2
1.1 Bose particles and Fermi particles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 States with Bose particles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Emission and absorption of photons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 The blackbody radiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1
1 Identical Particles
1.1 Bose particles and Fermi particles
Identical particles are particles like electrons which can in no way be distinguished
from one another. If for example a process involves two identical particles, reversing
which one arrives at a counter is an alternative which cannot be distinguished and in-
terferes with the original, un-exchanged case.
Figure 1: In the scattering of two identical particles, the process (a) and (b) are indis-
tinguishable.
Figure 1 sketches a collision of two particles a and b in which a scatters in the
direction 1 and particle b in the direction 2. Let f() be the amplitude for the process
then the probability P
1
of observing such event is proportional to |f()|
2
. Assuming
that there are no special directions dened by spins or such, P
2
for the process is just
|f( )|
2
. We might also think that the amplitude for the second process is f( )
but is not necessary because of some arbitrary phase factor. The amplitude could be
e
i
f( ). (1)
If a and b are identical particles, then there is an amplitude that either a and b
goes to 1 , while the other goes to 2. This amplitude is the sum of the amplitudes for
the two processes where the phase factor becomes important. The square of the phase
factor must be equal to 1. There are only two possibilities: e
i
is eqaul t +1 or -1. Both
cases exists i nature, each for a dierent class of particles.Bose particles such as photons
and mesons interfere with a positive sign while Fermi particles like the electrons and
neutrinos interfere with the negative sign. The amplitude for the scattering of identical
particles is:
Bose particles:
Amplitude direct)+(Amplitude exchanged).
2
Fermi particles
Amplitude direct)-(Amplitude exchanged).
For particles with spin there is an additional complication. We must not only specify
the location of the particles but the direction of their spins.
The rule for composite objects such as particles is that,in circumstances the object
can be considered as a single object, behaving like Fermi or Bose particles, depending on
whether they contain an odd or even number of Fermi particle. Every composite object
which have half-integral spin imitates a Fermi particle, whereas every composite object
with integral spin imitates a Bose particle.
1.2 States with Bose particles
Consider two Bose particles scattered from two dierent scatterers shown in Figure
2. The particle a is scattered into the state 1 while b is scattered into state 2.
Figure 2: A double scattering into nearby nal states.
Now, suppose that we only have particle a then its amplitude for scattering in direc-
tion 1 is < 1|a >= a
1
and particle b would have and amplitude < 2|b >
2
for a landing
in direction 2.If the two particles are not identical, the amplitude for the two scatterings
to occur at the same time is
< 1|a >< 2|b >
The probability for such an event is
| < 1|a >< 2|b > |
2
which is equal to | < 1|a > |
2
| < 2|b > |
2
3
Now, if a pair of tiny counters would pick up the particles, the probability P
2
that
they will pick up two particles together is
P
2
= |a
1
|
2
|b
2
|
2
+ |a
2
|
2
|b
1
|
2
(2)
Now suppose that the directions 1 and 2 are very close together, we can set a
1
=
a
2
= a and b
1
= b
2
= b. Then we get
P
2
= 2|a|
2
|b|
2
(3)
Now, suppose that a and b are identical Bose particles. Then the process of a
going into 1 and b going into 2 cannot be distinguished from its exchange process. The
amplitudes interfere. The total amplitude to obtain a particle in each of the two counters
is
< 1|a >< 2|b > + < 2|a >< 1|b > (4)
And the probability that we get a pair is
P
2
= |a
1
b
2
+a
2
b
1
|
2
= 4|a|
2
|b|
2
(5)
The result is twice as likely to nd two identical Bose particles scattered into the
same state as you would calculate assuming the particles were dierent.
The same formulations is followed for n identical Bose particles which is not anymore
discussed here.
1.3 Emission and absorption of photons
When light is emitted a photon is created. We can consider n atoms, a,b,c,...
emitting light. The probability that an atom will emit a photon into a particular nal
state is increased by the factor (n+1) if there are already n photons in that state. Also
sometimes said to be
n + 1 instead.//
In quantum mechanics, the amplitude to get from any condition to any other
condition is the complex conjugate of the amplitude to get from x to :
| = |
(6)
whic can be used out to nd out how photons are scattered or absorbed out in a given
state. When we say that the amplitude that a photon will be added to some state i,
when there are already n photons present is
4
< n + 1|n >=
n + 1a (7)
where a =< i|a > is the amplitude that there are no present. The amplitude to go the
other way is
< n|n +a = 1 >=
n + 1a
2
. (8)
1.4 The blackbody radiation
Suppose that for each light frequency , there are a certain number N of atoms which
have two energy states separated by the energy = h shown in Figure 3. Let N
g
and
N
e
the average number of atoms in the ground and excited sates; then in the thermal
equilibrium at the temperature T is,
N
e
/N
g
= e
/kT
= e
h/kT
. (9)
Figure 3: Radiation and absorption of a photon with the frequency .
5
Each atom in the ground state can absorb a photon and go into the excited state,
and each atom in the excited state can emit a photon and go into the ground state.
Since the photon has the energy hbar, the enrgy in the photons of a given state is
h/e
h/kT
1. (10)
This equation gives same result as the energy of oscillators. One nds that this
system behaves for all quantum mechanical purposes exactly like a harmonic oscillator.
We have already shown the computed mean energy in any particular mode in a box at
the temperature T. We also need to know how many modes there are at each energy.
The blackbody radiation law is usually stated by giving the energy per unit volume
carried by the light in a small frequency interval from + .
A mode is a standing wave which is the sum of the two waves, one going in direction.
The number of modes is then
d() = V 4
2
/(2)
3
c
3
. (11)
The energy in the modes that lie in the interval :
E = hV
2
/(e
h/kT
1)
2
c
3
(12)
This is the law for the frequency spectrum of the blackbody radiation. It is known
that it was Plancks study of the blackbody spectrum, and his discovery of the formula
that started the subject of quantum mechanics.
6

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MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology

Phys241 Quantum Mechanics

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