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Change of basis

 
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Mar4-04, 09:23 PM   #1
 
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Change of basis


Hello all,

I need some help...
If I know the form of a wavefunction in the [itex] S_z [/itex] basis, say it is spin up, how do I convert that to a wavefunction expressed in the [itex] S_x [/itex] basis? Is there a very simple way to do this?
Thanks
 
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Mar5-04, 09:22 AM   #2
 
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Anyone???
Do I just rotate the spinor using a rotation operator?
Help?
 
Mar5-04, 10:56 AM   #3
 
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You've basically got it. To convert from Sz to Sx, you rotate the state vector p/2 rad about the y-axis.
 
Sep27-11, 12:08 AM   #4
 

Change of basis


Quote by Tom Mattson View Post
You've basically got it. To convert from Sz to Sx, you rotate the state vector p/2 rad about the y-axis.
Hi, I know this is old. Im sorry, but I have some confusion about this.

I wonder, shouldn't the new state vector be a superposition of +x and -x? If I apply the rotation operator to my z state I get a pure state.

Where has my thinking gone wrong?
 
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