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Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General

The hydrogen atom's quantum-to-classical correspondence in Heisenberg's correspondence principle

Quanhui Liu, B Hu

Published Jul 6, 2001• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The famous Gordon formula for matrix element ⟨ n ', l | r | n , l -1⟩ is transformed into a new form which can be easily treated when n ', n and l are all large. Then its asymptotic expression is derived which turns out to be that obtained from Heisenberg's correspondence principle. Finally, its classical limit form is used to construct classical quantities x , y and z representing a singe Keplerian orbit in terms of a Fourier series of time variable t .

DOI
10.1088/0305-4470/34/28/307

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The famous Gordon formula for matrix element ⟨ n ', l | r | n , l -1⟩ is transformed into a new form which can be easily treated when n ', n and l are all large. Then its asymptotic expression is derived which turns out to be that obtained from Heisenberg's correspondence principle. Finally, its classical limit form is used to construct classical quantities x , y and z representing a singe Keplerian orbit in terms of a Fourier series of time variable t .
In the quantum field,due to Bohr correspondence principle,quantum mechanics go to classical mechanics in large quantum number.Based upon Heisenberg correspondence principle,quantum matrix element of a Hermitian operator reduces to the coefficient of Fourier expansion of the corresponding classical quantity in the classical limit.Using Heisenberg correspondence principle,quantum-classical correspondence of particles in magnetic is studied.Applying Heisenberg correspondence principle in relativistic realm,the exact wave functions of Klein-Gordon equation are obtained for particles in magnetic with quantum matrix element in a rectangular coordinate system of new representation.It turns out that in the classical limit matrix elements of quantum operators reduces to the classical solutions and with classical approach,the coordinate is cyclical variation with time,the orbit of particles is a circle,and the movement is uniform circular motion in uniform magnetic field.
Abstract In this work we discuss Bohr’s correspondence principle in a particular physical system, namely the hydrogen atom. It is shown that while diagonal elements of the position operator are equal to zero, off-diagonal elements between two states of different but close energies have a classical limit. The classical limit is reached when both principal quantum numbers, and hence both energies, are large but their difference is small. In this case the matrix elements of the position operator tend to the Fourier component of a classical trajectory, whose parameters are found. The classical limit is proved by finding numerical values of the matrix elements and also by exact treatment of the analytical formulas. This discussion provides a deeper understanding of the correspondence between quantum and classical mechanics and contributes to a better understanding of hydrogen atom wave functions.
For relativistic particles with spin-0 (satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation) and spin-1/2 (satisfying the Dirac equation) in infinitely deep potential well, matrix elements for the coordinate, momentum and the velocity operators are calculated. In the limit of large quantum numbers, these matrix elements give the corresponding classical quantities (nowbeing related quantities in special relativity) and satisfy exact classical relations. These results show that the Heisenberg correspondence principle is applicable to such relativistic systems.
According to Heisenberg correspondence principle,quantum matrix element of a Hermitian operator reduces to the coefficient of Fourier expansion of the corresponding classical quantity in the classical limit.Applying HCP to Dirac equations in relativistic realm,for the relativistic free particle or the charged particle moving in a constant magnetic field,it is shown that quantum operators in Dirac theory reduces to the classical quantities in the classical limit and the classical limit of quantum expectation value is the time average of the classical quantity.
Heisenberg's form of the correspondence principle is applied to the matrix elements of tensor operators. A correspondence limit of the Wigner-Eckart theorem is obtained. It is shown that the Clebsch-Gordan coefficient tends in this limit to the product of a reduced rotation matrix element with a simple multiplicative factor. A similar, but not identical, expression has long been known as a formal limit obtaining when two of the three angular momenta involved become large. It is characteristic of correspondence principle expressions that the initial and final quantal states must be represented by some 'mean' classical orbit, the choice of which remains ambiguous. Here recursion relations are used to arrive at the optimal choice. In this way, a correspondence principle approximation to the Clebsch-Gordan coefficient is obtained which may be used with success far from the limit to which it nominally refers. This approximation is tested numerically against both exact and semiclassical computations.
Heisenberg's form of the correspondence principle for non-relativistic matrix elements has been used to evaluate matrix elements for various potentials. These are compared with available quantum mechanical results to check the general validity of the use of classical mechanics and correspondence principles in the derivation of quantum mechanical expressions. Using a one dimensional harmonic oscillator potential matrix elements of the form (n mod qm mod n+s) and (n mod pm mod n+s) are worked out. A Morse potential is then considered and the matrix elements for position, momentum, and kinetic energy are evaluated. Using a Coulomb potential a similar procedure is used for functions of various position coordinates, from which dipole and quadrupole moments from transitions between n, l states are calculated. The agreement with quantum mechanics is found to be generally good, and in some cases identical results are obtained.