How Does the Born Series Expansion Translate to Spatial Representation?

In summary, the conversation discusses the Born series in scattering and how to move to spatial representation. It is suggested to introduce another unit operator and use the completeness relation for the position-eigenbasis to obtain the 2nd term of the series. This involves getting rid of the delta distribution and taking out V(\vec{x'}) as it is a scalar with eigenstates |\vec{x'}>.
  • #1
PineApple2
49
0
Hello. I read about the born series in scattering,
[tex]
|\psi> = (1+G_0V+\ldots)|\psi_0>
[/tex]
Now when I want to move to spatial representation, the textbook asserts I should get
[tex]
\psi(\vec{r})=\psi_0(\vec{r}) + \int dV' G_0(\vec{r},\vec{r'}) V(\vec{r'})\psi_0(\vec{r'})+\ldots
[/tex]
by operating with [itex]<\vec{r}|[/itex] from the left. However I don't know how to get the 2nd term (the integral). I tried to insert a complete basis like this:
[tex]
<\vec{r}|G_0V|\psi_0> = \int d^3r'<\vec{r}|G_0|\vec{r'}><\vec{r'}|V|\psi_0>
[/tex]
however I don't know how to get [itex]V(\vec{r'})[/itex] from the second bracketed term. Any help?

By the way: is there a "nicer" way to write 'bra' and 'ket' in this forum?
 
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  • #2
Introduce another unit operator in terms of the completeness relation for the position-eigenbasis. Then you use

[tex]\langle \vec{x}' |V(\hat{\vec{x}}\vec{x}'' \rangle = V(\vec{x}'') \langle \vec{x}'| \vec{x}'' \rangle=V(\vec{x}') \delta^{(3)}(\vec{x}'-\vec{x}'').[/tex]

Then one of the integrals from the completeness relations can be used to get rid of the [itex]\delta[/itex] distribution, and you arrive at Born's series in the position representation as given by your textbook.
 
  • #3
I see. And then [itex]V(\vec{x'})[/itex] can be taken out as [itex]|\vec{x'}>[/itex] are its eigenstates and it is taken out as a scalar.
Thanks!
 

Related to How Does the Born Series Expansion Translate to Spatial Representation?

1. What is the Born series expansion?

The Born series expansion is a mathematical representation of the quantum mechanical wave function. It allows us to express the wave function as an infinite sum of terms, each of which represents a different possible state of the system.

2. How is the Born series expansion used in quantum mechanics?

The Born series expansion is used to calculate the probability of a particle being in a particular state. By summing up the series, we can determine the probability of the particle being in each possible state. This is essential in understanding the behavior of quantum systems.

3. What are the limitations of the Born series expansion?

The Born series expansion is only applicable to systems with discrete energy levels. It also assumes that the wave function is well-behaved and that all terms in the series are finite. Additionally, the series may not converge for all systems, making it difficult to use in certain cases.

4. How is the Born series expansion related to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

The Born series expansion is a key tool in understanding the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. The uncertainty principle states that the more precisely we know the position of a particle, the less precisely we know its momentum, and vice versa. The Born series expansion allows us to calculate the probabilities of different states, which correspond to different values of position and momentum.

5. Can the Born series expansion be applied to macroscopic systems?

No, the Born series expansion is only applicable to microscopic systems, such as atoms and particles. It does not accurately describe the behavior of macroscopic objects, as their wave functions are not well-defined. Classical mechanics is better suited for describing macroscopic systems.

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