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Test of Gauge Invariance: Charged Harmonic Oscillator in an Electromagnetic Field

The gauge-invariant formulation of quantum mechanics is compared to the conventional approach for the case of a one-dimensional charged harmonic oscillator in an electromagnetic field in the electric dipole approximation. The probability of finding the oscillator in the ground state or excited states as a function of time is calculated, and the two approaches give different results. On the basis of gauge invariance, the gauge-invariant formulation of quantum mechanics gives the correct probability, while the conventional approach is incorrect for this problem. Therefore, expansion coefficients or a wave function cannot always be interpreted as probability amplitudes. For a physical interpretation as probability amplitudes the expansion coefficients must be gauge invariant.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc504158
Date08 1900
CreatorsWen, Chang-tai
ContributorsKobe, Donald Holm, Redding, Rogers W., Deering, William D.
PublisherNorth Texas State University
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatv, 103 leaves: ill., Text
RightsPublic, Wen, Chang-tai, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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