Simplifying Operator and Dirac Algebra for Kets

MikeBuonasera
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi Guys, I am facing a problem playing around with some operators and Kets, would like some help!

I have \langle \Psi | A+A^\dagger | \Psi \rangle .A

Could someone simplify it? Especially is there a way to change the last operator A into A^\dagger?

The way I thought about this is:
<br /> =(\langle \Psi |A | \Psi \rangle + \langle \Psi | A^\dagger | \Psi \rangle).A<br /> =(\langle \Psi |A A | \Psi \rangle + \langle \Psi | A^\dagger A | \Psi \rangle)<br /> =\langle \Psi | I | \Psi \rangle<br />
 
Physics news on Phys.org
MikeBuonasera said:
<br /> =(\langle \Psi |A | \Psi \rangle + \langle \Psi | A^\dagger | \Psi \rangle).A<br /> =(\langle \Psi |A A | \Psi \rangle + \langle \Psi | A^\dagger A | \Psi \rangle)<br /> =\langle \Psi | I | \Psi \rangle<br />

That's obviously wrong.

You have a scalar times an operator and you get a scalar.

You can't take the operator inside the bra-ket.

Off the top of my head you might like to expand A in terms of the spectral theorem ie ∑ ai |bi><bi| - assuming it applies of course.

Thanks
Bill
 
Last edited:
bhobba said:
That's obviously wrong.

You have a scalar times an operator and you get a scalar.

You can't take the operator inside the bra-ket.

Off the top of my head you might like to expand A in terms of the spectral theorem ie ∑ ai |bi><bi| - assuming it applies of course.

Thanks
Bill

Thanks Bill. Actually there is a detail that I omitted which may help:
(⟨Ψ|A|Ψ⟩+⟨Ψ|A†|Ψ⟩).A|Ψ⟩
Does this make any difference?

thanks
 
MikeBuonasera said:
Thanks Bill. Actually there is a detail that I omitted which may help:
(⟨Ψ|A|Ψ⟩+⟨Ψ|A†|Ψ⟩).A|Ψ⟩
Does this make any difference?

Same problem - only you have a scalar times a vector.

Thanks
Bill
 
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
I am reading WHAT IS A QUANTUM FIELD THEORY?" A First Introduction for Mathematicians. The author states (2.4 Finite versus Continuous Models) that the use of continuity causes the infinities in QFT: 'Mathematicians are trained to think of physical space as R3. But our continuous model of physical space as R3 is of course an idealization, both at the scale of the very large and at the scale of the very small. This idealization has proved to be very powerful, but in the case of Quantum...
Thread 'Lesser Green's function'
The lesser Green's function is defined as: $$G^{<}(t,t')=i\langle C_{\nu}^{\dagger}(t')C_{\nu}(t)\rangle=i\bra{n}C_{\nu}^{\dagger}(t')C_{\nu}(t)\ket{n}$$ where ##\ket{n}## is the many particle ground state. $$G^{<}(t,t')=i\bra{n}e^{iHt'}C_{\nu}^{\dagger}(0)e^{-iHt'}e^{iHt}C_{\nu}(0)e^{-iHt}\ket{n}$$ First consider the case t <t' Define, $$\ket{\alpha}=e^{-iH(t'-t)}C_{\nu}(0)e^{-iHt}\ket{n}$$ $$\ket{\beta}=C_{\nu}(0)e^{-iHt'}\ket{n}$$ $$G^{<}(t,t')=i\bra{\beta}\ket{\alpha}$$ ##\ket{\alpha}##...
Back
Top