Advanced concepts in quantum mechanics (Q2925390)

According to the authors, the book under review is an introduction to quantum mechanics which emphasizes structural issues and geometric ideas and is aimed mainly at advanced undergraduate and graduate students of physics.NEWLINENEWLINEIn the first part of the book, the authors describe many historical experiments which led to the need of the development of quantum mechanics. In some occasions original experimental data are included. Then, classical mechanics for particles and waves is presented in a form suitable for the further exposition of the theory in the book. In the part on quantum mechanics, all the usual topics of introductory textbooks to quantum mechanics are covered (harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, the angular momentum operator, an introduction to spin, etc.). In addition, approximative methods, perturbation theory and scattering theory are discussed. One chapter is dedicated to symmetries. Throughout the book, particular emphasis is put on the various pictures (Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Ehrenfest) and on coherent states. More recent developments like quantum computing, entanglement and quantum tomography are mentioned.NEWLINENEWLINEThe authors touch briefly many advanced mathematical aspects of quantum theory, but, since the book is aimed at physics students, they do not go into details. Instead, some references are given. The book contains many exercises at the end of most chapters; in addition there is one chapter consisting entirely of exam problems. The reader should have prior knowledge of quantum mechanics in order to benefit from the book.