Ground state of harmonic oscillator

In summary, the integrating factor for the given conversation is exp(mωx2/2ħ), and the linear first-order ODE can also be solved directly using u_0(x)=⟨x|0⟩. The wave function should be normalized to 1 and the ground state of the harmonic oscillator in position representation can be found using u_0(0)=(1/2πl2)^1/4.
  • #1
unscientific
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Shouldn't the integrating factor be ##exp(\frac{m\omega x}{\hbar})##?
[tex]\frac{\partial <x|0>}{\partial x} + \frac{m\omega x}{\hbar} <x|0> = 0 [/tex]

This is in the form:

[tex]\frac{\partial y}{\partial x} + P_{(x)} y = Q_{(x)} [/tex]

Where I.F. is ##exp (\int (P_{(x)} dx)##
 
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  • #2
And P(x) = mωx/ħ, and ∫P(x) dx = mωx2/2ħ, and the integrating factor is exp(mωx2/2ħ).
 
  • #3
You can as well solve the linear first-order ODE directly, i.e., with [itex]u_0(x)=\langle x|0 \rangle[/itex] given by the book to read
[tex]u_0'=-\frac{x}{2l^2} u_0.[/tex]
This you can write as
[tex]\frac{u_0'}{u_0}=-\frac{x}{2l^2}.[/tex]
This can be integrated
[tex]\ln \left (\frac{u_0(x)}{u_0(0)} \right )=-\frac{x^2}{4l^2} \; \Rightarrow \; u_0(x)=u_0(0) \exp \left (-\frac{x^2}{4l^2} \right ).[/tex]
Further the wave function should be normalized to 1, i.e.,
[tex]\int_{\mathbb{R}} \mathrm{d}x \; |u_0(x)|^2=|u(0)|^2 \int_{\mathbb{R}} \mathrm{d} x exp \left (-\frac{x^2}{2l^2} \right )=\sqrt{2 \pi l^2} |u_0(0)|^2 \stackrel{!}{=}1.[/tex]
From this we find, up to an irrelevant phase factor,
[tex]u_0(0)=\left (\frac{1}{2 \pi l^2} \right )^{1/4}.[/tex]
This completes the derivation for the ground state of the harmonic oscillator in position representation.
 

Related to Ground state of harmonic oscillator

1. What is the ground state of a harmonic oscillator?

The ground state of a harmonic oscillator is the lowest energy state that a system can be in. It is also known as the zero-point energy state.

2. How is the ground state of a harmonic oscillator calculated?

The ground state of a harmonic oscillator can be calculated using the Schrödinger equation, which describes the wave function of a system. The ground state wave function is a Gaussian distribution centered at the equilibrium position.

3. What is the significance of the ground state in a harmonic oscillator?

The ground state of a harmonic oscillator is important because it represents the lowest possible energy that the system can have. All other energy levels are multiples of this ground state energy level.

4. Can the ground state of a harmonic oscillator be changed?

No, the ground state of a harmonic oscillator is a fundamental property of the system and cannot be changed. However, the energy of the ground state can be altered by external forces or by changing the parameters of the oscillator.

5. How does the ground state of a harmonic oscillator compare to other energy states?

The ground state of a harmonic oscillator has the lowest energy of all the energy states. As the energy levels increase, the spacing between them also increases, meaning that the ground state is much closer to the next lowest energy state than it is to the higher energy states.

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