FY547: Quantum mechanics II

The course gives an academic basis for further studies in quantum physics, as well as other topics such as particle physics and solid state physics, that are placed later in the education. The course is the continuation of FY544.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• support development of formulating physical problems in terms of physical principles using mathematical tools and solve them
• support knowledge acquisition and improved understanding of quantum mechanics
• support learning process to understand how scientific knowledge is obtained by the interplay between theory and experiment
  

Applications:
Quantum mechanics forms the very basis of many modern technologies and innovations such as lasers, solar cells, LEDs, and clean energy. Progress and understanding of basic quantum mechanical aspects contributes to innovation in academia and industry. Lasers are used in many technologies including many medical applications, e.g. to assist or minimize risk in surgical procedures. Solar cells are a clean source of energy and LEDs are the most energy efficient light source available, which contributes to reducing global power consumption.

The learning objectives of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• apply different analytical methods to characterize simple quantum systems
• use different abstract formulations of quantum mechanics
• work with angular momentum
• perform perturbation calculations

At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model, i.e. intro, training and study phase.
The attendance classes of the course are distributed as follows:

• Intro phase (lectures): 18 hours
• Training phase: 24 hours, including 14 hours tutorial classes and 10 hours group work

The introduction phase consists of lectures, in which the core topics of the course are presented, and a particular focus is placed on mathematical derivations along with reflection on the quantum mechanical insights following from the mathematics.

The training phase is aimed at building the students’ competencies through problem solving and presentations. In the tutorial classes, the students present problem solutions to their peers, and in the group work classes, they work independently on problem solving using both pen and paper and computational tools. The training phase is carried out under the supervision of an instructor.

In the study phase, the students are expected to study the text book and other materials on their own and to catch up with exercises from the training phase as needed.