How does time dependent perturbation theory apply to atomic physics?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 3K views
jc09
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Hi I was wondering if someone could help me out. I have been studying TDPT and was wondering how it applies to atomic physics or if someone could give me a example that would be great.
 

Discussion

Physics news on Phys.org
The usual example given for TDPT is stimulated emission. You put a hydrogen atom which is in an excited state, and see that a time-varying electric-field perturbation will cause that hydrogen atom to spontaneously decay to a lower energy state, and therefore emit a photon.