Exact dynamics of spin in varying magnetic field

In summary, we discussed the evolution of a spin-1/2 particle moving in a magnetic field and subjected to a sudden, weak magnetic field in a certain length of its path. We derived the probability of the spin flipping after a certain time using perturbation theory, but questioned the validity of our approach. We then showed that the assumption of the state remaining continuous over the sudden perturbation was indeed correct, leading to the correct result in the perturbative limit.
  • #1
KDPhysics
74
24
TL;DR Summary
Can one use the Schrodinger picture propagator for a sudden, constant perturbation?
Consider an uncharged particle with spin one-half moving with speed ##v## in a region with magnetic field ##\textbf{B}=B\textbf{e}_z##. In a certain length ##L## of the particle's path, there is an additional, weak magnetic field ##\textbf{B}_\perp=B_\perp \textbf{e}_x##. Assuming the electron has magnetic moment ##\mu## then
$$
H(t) = H_0 + V(t)
$$
where ##H_0=-\mu B \sigma_z## and
$$
V(t)=\begin{cases}
-\mu B_\perp \sigma_x, \ \text{ for } 0<t<l/v\\
0, \ \text { otherwise}
\end{cases}
$$
Assuming the particle starts out in the ##|+\rangle## state (spin-up along the ##z##-axis) then I found using perturbation theory that the probability that the spin flips to ##|-\rangle## after time ##t>L/v## is
$$
P(t>L/v) = \bigg[\frac{B_\perp}{B}\sin\bigg(\frac{\mu B L}{\hbar v}\bigg)\bigg]^2
$$
I am wondering how I could derive the result without assuming that ##B_\perp\ll B##?

My first instinct was to use the propagator to evolve the state from ##t=0## to ##t=L/v##:
\begin{align}
&e^{-iH(t)t/\hbar} = e^{i\mu\textbf{B}\cdot \boldsymbol{\sigma}t/\hbar} = \cos \bigg(\frac{\mu B't}{\hbar}\bigg)\mathbb{1}+i\sin \bigg(\frac{\mu B't}{\hbar}\bigg)\frac{B\sigma_z+B_\perp \sigma_z}{B'}\\
\implies & |+(t)\rangle = \cos \bigg(\frac{\mu B't}{\hbar}\bigg)|+\rangle+i\sin \bigg(\frac{\mu B't}{\hbar}\bigg)\frac{B|+\rangle+B_\perp |-\rangle}{B'}\\
\implies & |\langle-|+(t)\rangle|^2 = \bigg[\frac{B_\perp}{B'}\sin \bigg(\frac{\mu B't}{\hbar}\bigg)\bigg]^2
\end{align}
where ##B'=\sqrt{B^2+B_\perp^2}##. Taking the ##B_\perp/B<<1## limit (perturbative limit) then I recover
$$
P(t>L/v) = \bigg[\frac{B_\perp}{B}\sin\bigg(\frac{\mu B L}{\hbar v}\bigg)\bigg]^2
$$
as desired.

However, I'm not entirely sure if my approach of using the Schrödinger picture propagator ##U(t)=e^{-iHt/\hbar}## is correct. Indeed since ##H(t<0)## does not commute with ##H(t>0)##, there is no guarantee that the ##|+\rangle## state at time ##t=0^-## will not immediately jump and transition to some other state at ##t=0^+##, implying that assuming the state will be ##|+\rangle## at ##t=0^+## could be wrong. Why did my argument still yield the correct result?
 
  • Like
Likes jbagley72
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
It seems like I overlooked the simple fact that the state cannot change during a sudden, ##\textit{finite}## perturbation, so I was right in assuming that the spin would be ##|+\rangle## at ##t=0^+##.

To understand why the system's state must be continuous over the sudden perturbation in the Hamiltonian, we can write
\begin{cases}
i\hbar \frac{d}{dt}|\psi(t)\rangle = H_0 |\psi(t)\rangle, \ &t<0\\
i\hbar \frac{d}{dt}|\psi(t)\rangle = (H_0+V) |\psi(t)\rangle, \ &t>0
\end{cases}
Integrating from ##0^-=-\tau## to ##0^+=\tau## where ##\tau \rightarrow 0## then
$$
i\hbar(|\psi(\tau)\rangle-|\psi(-\tau)\rangle) = \int_{-\tau}^0 H_0 |\psi(t)\rangle \ dt + \int_0^\tau (H_0+V)|\psi(t)\rangle \ dt
$$
Since ##|\psi(t)\rangle## has to be continuous over ##(-\tau,0)## and ##(0,\tau)##, we can apply the Mean Value Theorem, which states that there must be some ##\tau_-\in(-\tau,0)## and some ##\tau_+\in(0,\tau)## such that
$$
\int_{-\tau}^0 H_0 |\psi(t)\rangle \ dt + \int_0^\tau (H_0+V)|\psi(t)\rangle \ dt = \tau (H_0|\psi(\tau_-)\rangle + (H_0+V)|\psi(\tau_+)\rangle)
$$
Taking the limit as ##\tau \rightarrow 0## we find that
$$
\lim_{\tau \rightarrow 0} (|\psi(\tau)\rangle-|\psi(-\tau)\rangle) = \frac{i}{\hbar}\lim_{\tau \rightarrow 0}\tau[H_0|\psi(\tau_-)\rangle + (H_0+V)|\psi(\tau_+)\rangle] = 0
$$
implying that ##|\psi(0^+)\rangle = |\psi(0^-)\rangle## (assuming ##V_0## is finite).
 

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
0
Views
852
Replies
4
Views
951
Replies
19
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
985
Back
Top