Question about time limits of time-dependent perturbation theory

ani4physics
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
I have been using time-dependent perturbation theory for quite a while. Yet, one thing is still not clear to me. I have seen in many books and papers that when they calculate the transition amplitudes, they integrate from 0 to t. While in many other papers and books, the limit is taken to be - infinity to t. Those two limits give completely different results for transition amplitudes and transition probabilities. So which one to use?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I would expect only 0 to t for the time that the perturbed field is switched on.

How can you use a transition amplitude based on an infinite amount of time being exposed to the field?
 
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. Towards the end of the first lecture for the Qiskit Global Summer School 2025, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Olivia Lanes (Global Lead, Content and Education IBM) stated... Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/quantum-entanglement-is-a-kinematic-fact-not-a-dynamical-effect/ by @RUTA
If we release an electron around a positively charged sphere, the initial state of electron is a linear combination of Hydrogen-like states. According to quantum mechanics, evolution of time would not change this initial state because the potential is time independent. However, classically we expect the electron to collide with the sphere. So, it seems that the quantum and classics predict different behaviours!

Similar threads

Back
Top