Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-advanced-quantum-physics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/section-b/6/d/solution
Past exam of the advanced quantum physics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 Section B 6 d Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
In first-order time-dependent perturbation theory, the resonant time factor before taking the Fermi's golden rule limit isIts central frequency width is of order , and its total area is . To replace it by , the oscillator density of states and relevant occupations must be approximately constant over that width. Thus . At the same time, the perturbative flip probability must remain much smaller than one.
Define , so the two flip rates are and . A sufficient common time window for both initial spins isFor a specified initial spin, the upper condition is simply its own flip rate times . Such a window requires weak enough coupling. The continuum approximation also presumes times shorter than recurrences from a resolved finite oscillator spectrum, and long enough to resolve the positive-frequency resonance from its nonresonant counterpart.
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