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tomwilliam2
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Homework Statement
Calculate the expectation value for a harmonic oscillator in the ground state when operated on by the operator:
$$AAAA\dagger A\dagger - AA\dagger A A\dagger + A\dagger A A A\dagger)$$
Homework Equations
$$AA\dagger - A\dagger A = 1$$
I also know that an unequal number of raising and lowering operators gives a zero expectation value due to orthogonality requirements.
The Attempt at a Solution
I guess that the first term in brackets gives a zero expectation value as it leads to a function which is orthogonal to $$\psi_0$$
If I say n=1 then:
$$A\dagger\psi_0 = \psi_1$$
And
$$A \psi_1 = \psi_0$$
I've tried taking the third term and saying:
$$A\dagger A(1+ A\dagger A) = A\dagger A + A\dagger A A\dagger A$$
Then doing the same thing with the second term to get
$$ 1+ 2A\dagger A +A\dagger A A\dagger A$$
Then I subtract this term from the third and I get
$$-A A\dagger $$
But this, operating on $$\psi_0$$ seems to give me an expression which results in an infinity when integrated over all space.
Can someone tell me where I went wrong?
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