QM.1 · Scattering, degeneracy and Pauli operators

A quantum wave can reflect from a downward potential step even though a classical particle has no turning point there.

Prerequisites: 5.

• Match travelling waves and fluxes across finite potential changes
• Count degenerate isotropic-oscillator states
• Evaluate Pauli products and distinguish anticommutation from equality

For constant potential V and energy E>V, the spatial solutions are travelling factors exp(±ikx), with k=sqrt[2m(E−V)]/$\hbar$. At finite steps with the same particle mass, wavefunction and its first derivative are continuous. In a left-incident scattering problem with no incoming beam from the right, the far-right solution contains only the right-travelling factor Ae^(ikx). If a finite well returns to the original external potential, the transmitted external wave number equals the incident one, even though the interior wave number differs. Exponentially decaying solutions describe E<V regions, not every potential well.

For a step from V1 to V2 with both regions classically allowed, write incident-plus-reflected amplitude in region 1 and transmitted amplitude in region 2. Continuity gives r=(k1−k2)/(k1+k2) and t=2k1/(k1+k2). Reflection probability is R=|r|²; transmission is T=(k2/k1)|t|² because probability current depends on wave number. Thus R+T=1 for a lossless step. Do not add raw squared transmitted amplitude to R without its current factor. With k2=3k1, R=1/4 and T=3/4 despite a downward step.

A three-dimensional isotropic oscillator separates into x,y,z modes with nonnegative integers n_x,n_y,n_z. Its energy is (N+3/2)$\hbar$ω, where N=n_x+n_y+n_z. For a spin-zero distinguishable single particle, the spatial degeneracy is the number of such triples: (N+1)(N+2)/2. This counts different assignments, not just different unordered partitions. For N=2, the six states are permutations of (2,0,0) and (1,1,0). For N=3, the degeneracy is 10. Additional spin or identical-particle constraints would change the counting problem.

Pauli matrices are σ_x=[[0,1],[1,0]], σ_y=[[0,−i],[i,0]], σ_z=[[1,0],[0,−1]]. Each squares to identity. Direct multiplication gives σ_xσ_y=iσ_z and σ_yσ_x=−iσ_z, so distinct Pauli matrices anticommute. Cyclic products x→y→z have positive i; reversing order changes the sign. The general identity is σ_iσ_j=δ_ijI+iΣε_ijkσ_k. Matrix order matters: σ_xσ_z=−iσ_y, not iσ_y or simply σ_y. These dimensionless matrices become spin operators S_i=$\hbar$σ_i/2, adding physical units and factors.

At a finite potential step, match wavefunction and derivative for the same particle mass.

Transmission probability 透射概率 uses current, not amplitude alone. For $k_2=3k_1$, $r=-1/2$, $t=1/2$. Reflection occurs even for a downward step. Its phase sign disappears when taking probability.

Transmission probability needs the wave-number current ratio. Oscillator degeneracy counts ordered mode triples. Do not reverse Pauli matrix order without changing its sign.

reflection coefficient 反射系数: Reflected probability-current fraction relative to incident current.

degeneracy: Number of independent states sharing the specified energy.