5.

61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 1

QUANTUM IN : SEPARABLE SYSTEMS

1D Systems 3D Systems
� � �
x̂ r̂ = ( x̂ ŷ ẑ ) = i x̂ + j ŷ + k ẑ
� d �� ∂ �� ∂ �� ∂
p̂ =
i dx (
p̂ = p̂x p̂y p̂z = i )
i ∂x
+j
i ∂y
+k
i ∂y
⎡⎣ x̂, p̂⎦⎤ = i� ⎡⎣ x̂, p̂x ⎤⎦ = i� ⎡ yˆ, pˆ y ⎤ = i� ⎡⎣ ẑ, p̂z ⎤⎦ = i�
⎣ ⎦
p̂2 −�2 d 2 p̂2 −�2 ∂ 2 −�2 ∂ 2 −�2 ∂ 2
Tˆ = = Tˆ = = + +
2m 2m dx 2 2m 2m ∂x 2 2m ∂y2 2m ∂y 2
ψ (x) ψ ( x, y, z )
∫ψ ( x ) Ô ψ ( x ) dx ∫ψ ( x, y, z ) Ô ψ ( x, y, z ) dx dy dz
* *
Ô = Ô =

By fiat, operators corresponding to different axes commute with one another.

ˆ ˆ = yx
xy ˆˆ pˆ z yˆ = yp
ˆˆz pˆ z pˆ x = pˆ x pˆ z etc.
Further, operators in one variable have no effect on functions of another:
ˆ ( y ) = f ( y ) xˆ
xf pˆ z f ( x ) = f ( x ) pˆ z f * ( z ) pˆ x = pˆ x f * ( z ) etc.

The Time Independent Schrödinger Equation becomes:

⎡ �2 ⎛ ∂ 2 ∂2 ∂2 ⎞ ⎤

⎢ − ⎜ 2 + 2
+ 2 ⎟
+ V ( x̂, ŷ, ẑ ) ⎥ψ ( x, y, z ) = Eψ ( x, y, z )

⎣ 2m ⎝ ∂x ∂y ∂z ⎠ ⎦

∇ 2 the Laplacian

⎡ �2 2 ⎤
⇒ ⎢ − 2m ∇ + V ( x̂, ŷ, ẑ ) ⎥ψ ( x, y, z ) = Eψ ( x, y, z )
⎣ ⎦

�2 2
Ĥ = − ∇ + V ( x̂, yˆ, zˆ ) Hamiltonian operator in 3D
2m

Hˆψ ( x, y , z ) = Eψ ( x, y , z ) 3D Schrödinger equation

(Time Independent)
Separation of variables
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 2

IF V ( x̂, ŷ , ẑ ) = Vx ( x̂ ) + V y ( ŷ ) + Vz ( ẑ )

ˆ ⎡ �2 ∂ 2 ⎤ ⎡ �2 ∂ 2 ⎤ ⎡ �2 ∂ 2 ⎤
H ( x, y, z ) = ⎢ − 2
+ V x ( ˆ
x ) + −
⎥ ⎢ 2m ∂y 2 + V y ( ˆ
y ) + −
⎥ ⎢ 2m ∂z 2 + Vz ( ˆ
z ) ⎥
then ⎣ 2m ∂x ⎦ ⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
= Ĥ x + Ĥ y + Ĥ z
⇒ Schrödinger’s Eq. becomes:
⎡ Ĥ x + Ĥ y + Ĥ z ⎤ψ ( x, y, z ) = Eψ ( x, y, z )
⎣ ⎦

Then try solution of form ψ (x, y, z )= ψ x (x )ψ y (y )ψ z (z )

(separation of variables)
Where we assume that the 1D functions satisfy the appropriate 1D TISE:
Ĥ xψ x ( x ) = E xψ x ( x )
Ĥ yψ y ( y ) = E yψ y ( y )

Ĥ zψ z ( z ) = E zψ z ( z )

First term:
Ĥ xψ x ( x )ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z ) = ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z ) Ĥ xψ x ( x ) = ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z ) E xψ x ( x )
= E xψ x ( x )ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z )

Same for Ĥ y and Ĥ z ⇒

Ĥ ψ = E ψ
⎡ Hˆ x + Hˆ y + Hˆ z ⎤ ⎡⎣ψ x ( x )ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z )⎤⎦ = ( E x + E y + E z ) ⎣⎡ψ x ( x )ψ y ( y )ψ z ( z )⎦⎤
⎣ ⎦

E = Ex + E y + Ez
Thus, if the Hamiltonian has this special form, the eigenfunctions of the 3D
Hamiltonian are just products of the eigenfunctions of the 1D Hamiltonian and
the situation is equivalent to doing three separate 1D problems.

Conclusion: Wavefunctions multiply and the energies add if Ĥ is separable into

5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 3

Ĥ = Ĥ x + Ĥ y + Ĥ z .

The 3D product states are naturally normalized if the 1D wavefunctions are

normalized:

∫∫∫ψ ( x )ψ ( y )ψ ( z )ψ ( x )ψ ( y )ψ ( z ) dx dy dz =
* * *
x y z x y z

∫ψ ( x )ψ ( x ) dx ∫ψ ( y )ψ ( y ) dy ∫ψ ( z )ψ ( z ) dz = 1
* * *
x x y y z z

1 x 1 x 1
Notice that for ψ we are free to choose any eigenfunction, ψ nx , of Ĥ x

together with any eigenfunction, ψ ny ,of Ĥ y and any eigenfunction, ψ nz , of Ĥ z .

Thus, while in 1D we usually had one quantum number, in 3D we will have three
(nx,ny,nz). Further, for two product states to be orthogonal, we do not have to
have all three 1D functions be different. If any one of the three 1D
wavefunctions (x,y or z) is orthogonal to its counterpart, then the two 3D
wavefunctions are also orthogonal. For example, consider the two wavefunctions
ψ 111 ( x, y, z ) = ψ x1 ( x )ψ y1 ( y )ψ z1 ( z ) and ψ 311 ( x, y, z ) = ψ x 3 ( x )ψ y1 ( y )ψ z1 ( z ) .

∫∫∫ψ 111 ( x, y, z )ψ 311 ( x, y, z ) dx dy dz

*

⇒ ∫∫∫ψ 1* ( x )ψ 1* ( y )ψ 1* ( z )ψ 3 ( x )ψ 1 ( y )ψ 1 ( z ) dx dy dz
x y z x y z

⇒ ∫ψ 1* ( x )ψ 3 ( x ) dx ∫ψ 1* ( y )ψ 1 ( y ) dy ∫ψ 1* ( z )ψ 1 ( z ) dz = 0
x x y y z z

0 x 1 x 1
Because the product states are orthogonal and normalized, they’re orthonormal
and we summarize this by writing:

∫∫∫
ψ nxnynz * x, y, z ψ mxmymz x, y, z dx dy dz = δ nx ,mxδ ny ,myδ nz ,mz
( ) ( )
Example 1:3­D Harmonic Oscillator

Let’s consider a particle in 3D subject to a Harmonic potential in x,y and z.

Further, assume the force constants in each direction are different. This might
be true, for example, for a particle trapped inside a protein: the resorting force
for moving it in the x direction will be different from y or z because the protein
has a different shape along x than y or z (see below right). Multidimensional
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 4

Harmonic potentials are also important for describing the vibrations of

polyatomic molecules. For example, in HCO x might correspond to the CH
stretch, y to the C­O stretch and z to the H­C­O bend.

In either case, the general potential is given by

1 1 1
V ( x, y , z ) = k x x 2 + k y y 2 + k z z 2 = V x ( x ) + V y ( y ) + Vz ( z )
2 2 2
Now, because the potential is a
sum of an x potential, a y
potential and a z potential, we
can easily write the
Hamiltonian down as a sum:
Ĥ = Ĥ x + Ĥ y + Ĥ z
p̂ x 2 1
Ĥ x = + k x x̂ 2
2m 2

ˆ p̂ y 2 1
Hy = + k y ŷ 2

2m 2
p̂ 2 1
Ĥ z = z + k z zˆ 2
2m 2
where each 1D Hamiltonian describes a particle subject to a Harmonic potential
with the appropriate spring constant (kx, ky or kz). Based on the discussion
above, we can immediately write down all the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues:
1
α x x2 α y y2 α z z2
− − ⎛ αz ⎞ 4 −
ψ n n n ( x , y , z ) = N x H n (α x x ) e
1/2 2
N y H n y (α y y ) e
1/2 2
⎜ ⎟ N z H nz ( α z
1/2
z ) e 2
x y z x
⎝π ⎠
⎡⎛ 1⎞ ⎤ ⎡⎛ 1⎞ ⎤ ⎡⎛ 1⎞ ⎤
Enxn y nz = ⎢⎜ n x + ⎟ �ωx ⎥ + ⎢⎜ n y + ⎟ �ω y ⎥ + ⎢⎜ n x + ⎟ �ωz ⎥
⎣⎝ 2⎠ ⎦ ⎣⎝ 2⎠ ⎦ ⎣⎝ 2⎠ ⎦
12

αx =
( mk x ) ωx =
kx
etc.
� m

Notice again that for the 3D problem we have 3 quantum numbers, and the
energy and wavefunction depend on all three simultaneously.

Degeneracies
In 3D, there are a number of interesting things that can happen that we didn’t
see in 1D. One example of this is that, in 3D it is possible for two different
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 5

eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian to have the same energy. When this happens,
these two states are called degenerate. If there are three, four… states with
the same energy, they are said to be threefold, fourfold … degenerate. This
never happened for the Particle in a Box or the Harmonic Oscillator. In fact,
one can show that for bound states in 1D, one never has degeneracy; every state
has its own energy. However, in 3D we can find degeneracy very easily. For
example, if our spring constants are all the same:
kx = k y = kz ≡ k ⇒ ωx = ω y = ωz ≡ ω
⎛ 3⎞
⇒ Enxn y nz = �ω ⎜ n x + n y + n z + ⎟
⎝ 2⎠
The ground state has an energy E000 = 23 �ω . There is only one way I can get this
energy ( n x = 0, n y = 0, nz = 0 ), so it is not degenerate. However, there are three
ways I can get the first excited state energy 5
2
�ω : n x = 1, ny = 0, nz = 0 ,
n x = 0, ny = 1, nz = 0 or n x = 0, ny = 0, nz = 1 . So we find that if we choose all the
spring constants to be equal,
3�ω
E000 = nondegenerate level
2
5�ω
E100 = E010 = E001 = 3-fold degenerate level
2
etc.
We will typically draw this with a picture like:

E
…

E110 E011 E101 E200 E020 E002

6­fold degenerate

E100 E010 E001 3­fold degenerate

E000 Non­degenerate

Note the wavefunctions are distinct:

ψ 100 ( x, y, z ) ≠ ψ 010 ( x, y , z ) ≠ ψ 001 ( x, y, z )
This leads to an interesting effect. Suppose we make up a wavefunction that is
a sum of two degenerate states, say
ψ ( x, y, z ) = a ψ 010 ( x, y, z ) + b ψ 001 ( x, y, z )
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 6

where a and b are constants. Then it turns out that ψ is also an eigenstate of
the Hamiltonian! To see this,
Ĥψ = Ĥ ( a ψ 010 + b ψ 001 ) = a Hˆ ψ 010 + b Hˆψ 001
=a 5�ω
2 ψ 010 + b 5�ω
2 ψ 001 = 5�2ω ( a ψ 010 + b ψ 001 )
= 5�2ω ψ
This illustrates the important point that any sum of degenerate eigenstates is
also an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian with the same eigenvalue.

Setting the spring constants equal amounts to assuming the well is symmetric
with respect to x, y and z. If the symmetry is “broken”, i.e. k x ≠ k y ≠ k z then
the 100, 010 and 001 states will become non­degenerate. In this case, we will
usually say that the degeneracy has been “lifted” or that the degenerate states
have been split. The latter language comes from the pictorial view; if the spring
constants are only slightly different, then the energy levels might look like:

E110 E200
E101 E020
E011 E002

E100 E010 E001

E000

Here, you can see that the n=1 levels are almost degenerate (they’ve been
“split”) and the n=2 levels are almost degenerate, but not quite, because the
force constants are slightly different. Notice that it is possible to break some
degeneracies but keep others. For example , if we choose:
kx = k y ≡ k ≠ kz ⇒ ωx = ω y ≡ ω ≠ ωz
Then the energies become:
⎛ 1⎞
Enxn y nz = �ω ( n x + n y + 1) + �ωz ⎜ nz + ⎟
⎝ 2⎠
and we find
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 7

E000 = �ω + �ωz nondegenerate level

2

E100 = E010 = 2�ω + �ωz 2-fold degenerate level

2

E001 = �ω + �ωz nondegenerate level

2
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 8

Example 2: Particle in 3­D box

c V ( x, y , z ) = Vx ( x ) + V y ( y ) + Vz ( z )
Vx ( x ) = 0 0≤ x≤a
Vy ( y ) = 0 0≤ y≤b
Vz ( z ) = 0 0≤ z≤c

a y Vx ( x ) ,V y ( y ) ,Vz ( z ) = ∞ otherwise
b
x
Inside the box: Outside the box:
�2 ⎛ ∂ 2 ∂2 ∂2 ⎞
− + + ψ ( x, y, z ) = Eψ ( x, y, z ) ψ (x, y, z )= 0
2m ⎜⎝ ∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2 ⎟⎠

We can again apply separation of variables since Ĥ = Ĥ x + Ĥ y + Ĥ z where

Ĥ x , Ĥ y , Ĥ z are each 1D particle in a box Hamiltonians. So the solutions to the
3D equation are products of the 1D solutions

⇒ ψ ( x , y , z ) = ψ n ( x )ψ n ( y )ψ n ( z )
x y z

where from the 1D problem we have the solutions

1
⎛2⎞2 ⎛n πx⎞ � 2 n x2
ψ nx ( x ) = ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ x ⎟ n x = 1, 2,3,... En x =
⎝a⎠ ⎝ a ⎠ 8m a 2
1
2
⎛ 2 ⎞2 ⎛n πy⎞ �2 n y
ψ n y ( y ) = ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ y ⎟ n y = 1, 2,3,... En y =
⎝b⎠ ⎝ b ⎠ 8m b2
1
⎛2⎞2 ⎛n πz⎞ � 2 nz2
ψ nz ( z ) = ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ z ⎟ nz = 1, 2,3,... En z =
⎝c⎠ ⎝ c ⎠ 8m c 2
Where the energy is now a function of all three Quantum numbers:
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 9

� 2 ⎛ n x2 n y nz2 ⎞
2

En x n y n z = E n x + E n y + E nz = ⎜ + + ⎟
8m ⎜⎝ a 2 b 2 c 2 ⎟⎠

Degeneracies

Degeneracies occur in a similar fashion for the PiB. e.g. if a = b = c in our 3­D
box:

h2
2 ( x
⇒ En x n y n z = n 2 + n 2y + nz2 )
8ma

3h 2
E111 = is nondegenerate
8ma 2

1
⎛ 8 ⎞2 ⎛π x ⎞ ⎛π y ⎞ ⎛π z ⎞
ψ 111 ( x, y, z ) = ψ 1 ( x )ψ 1 ( y )ψ 1 ( z ) = ⎜ 3 ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟
⎝a ⎠ ⎝ a ⎠ ⎝ a ⎠ ⎝ a ⎠

But…

h2
2 (
E211 = E121 = E112 = 22 + 12 + 12 ) 3­fold degeneracy
8ma

Note the wavefunctions are again distinct:

ψ 211 (x, y, z )≠ ψ 121 (x, y, z )≠ ψ 112 (x, y, z )

E

E222 Non­degenerate
E221 E212 E122
3­fold degenerate
E211 E121 E112
Non­degenerate
E111
5.61 Fall 2007 Separable Systems page 10

If the symmetry is “broken”, i.e. a≠ b≠c then the degeneracy is lifted.

h2 ⎛ 1 1 4 ⎞ h2 ⎛ 1 4 1⎞
E112 = ⎜ 2 + 2 + 2 ⎟ ≠ E121 = ⎜ 2+ 2+ 2⎟
8m ⎝ a b c ⎠ 8m ⎝ a b c ⎠

Summary
3­D box
1
⎛ 8 ⎞2 ⎛ n xπ x ⎞ ⎛ n yπ y ⎞ ⎛ n zπ z ⎞
ψ nxn ynz ( x, y , z ) = ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟ sin ⎜ ⎟
⎝ abc ⎠ ⎝ a ⎠ ⎝ b ⎠ ⎝ c ⎠
h 2 ⎛ n x2 n y nz2 ⎞
2

En x n y n z = ⎜ + + ⎟ n x = 1, 2,3,... n y = 1, 2,3,... nz = 1, 2,3,...

8m ⎜⎝ a 2 b2 c 2 ⎟⎠