Lectures in Quantum Mechanics

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-X

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2. The Crisis of Classical Physics

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 1-14

3. From Einstein to de Broglie

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 15-41

4. Introduction to the Postulates of Quantum Mechanics

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 43-60

5. The Postulates of Quantum Mechanics

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 61-93

6. The Harmonic Oscillator

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 95-100

7. Representation Theory

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 101-131

8. Schrödinger Equation for One-Dimensional Systems

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 133-148

9. One-Dimensional Systems

   • Luigi E. Picasso

   Pages 149-160

10. Time Evolution

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 161-174

11. Angular Momentum

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 175-186

12. Particle in a Central Force Field

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 187-201

13. Perturbations to Energy Levels

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 203-217

14. Electromagnetic Transitions

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 219-246

15. Introduction to Atomic Physics

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 247-265

16. Composite Systems. Pauli Principle

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 267-282

17. Many-Electron Atoms

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 283-314

18. Elementary Theory of Scattering

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 315-335

19. The Paradoxes of Quantum Mechanics

    • Luigi E. Picasso

    Pages 337-347

20. Back Matter

    Pages 349-354

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Based on a series of university lectures on nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, this textbook covers a wide range of topics, from the birth of quantum mechanics to the fine-structure levels of heavy atoms. The author sets out from the crisis in classical physics and explores the seminal ideas of Einstein, Bohr, and de Broglie and their vital importance for the development of quantum mechanics. There follows a bottom-up presentation of the postulates of quantum mechanics through real experiments (such as those of neutron interferometry), with consideration of their most important consequences, including applications in the field of atomic physics. A final chapter is devoted to the paradoxes of quantum mechanics, and particularly those aspects that are still open and hotly debated, to end up with a mention to Bell's theorem and Aspect's experiments. In presenting the principles of quantum mechanics in an inductive way, this book has already proved very popular with students in its Italianlanguage version.It complements the exercises and solutions book "Problems in Quantum Mechanics", by E. d'Emilio, L.E. Picasso (Springer).

• Angular Momentum
• Applications of Quantum Mechanics to Atomic Physics
• Electromagnetic Transitions
• Harmonic Oscillator
• Pauli Exclusion Principle
• Perturbation Theory
• Quantum Mechanics Textbook
• Schrödinger Equation
• Theory of Representations

“The book offers a good overview on quantum mechanics. Its style is fresh and exact. The explanations are often original, at least in the style. Some material like, for instance, om degeneracy and spatial inversion cannot be found easily in this form in other monographs. One gets the feeling that all this comes directly from the author’s experience in teaching and thoughtful examination of the subject.” (Marek Nowakowski, zbMATH, Vol. 1365.81002, 2017)

• Dipartimento di Fisica, Pisa, Italy

  Luigi E. Picasso

Luigi Picasso is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Pisa, Italy. He currently teaches courses on Studies in Mathematics, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, and Complements of Physics. Professor Picasso has numerous publications to his name and together with Emilio d’Emilio he co-authored the Springer book "Problems in Quantum Mechanics with Solutions" (2011).

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