Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications

Progressing from the fundamentals of quantum mechanics (QM) to more complicated topics, Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive examination of many applications that pertain to modern physics and engineering.

Based on courses taught by the author, this textbook begins with an introductory chapter that reviews historical landmarks, discusses classical theory, and establishes a set of postulates. The next chapter demonstrates how to find the appropriate wave functions for a variety of physical systems in one dimension by solving the Schrödinger equation where for time-independent cases, the total energy is an eigenvalue. The following chapter extends this method to three dimensions, focusing on partial differential equations. In subsequent chapters, the author develops the appropriate operators, eigenvalues, and eigenfunctions for angular momentum as well as methods for examining time-dependent systems. The final chapters address special systems of interest, such as lasers, quarks, and hadrons. Appendices offer additional material, exploring matrices, functions, and physical constants.