Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-quantum-theory-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021/2/c/ii/solution

Write and . The canonical commutation relations for the creation and annihilation operators give
For example, . The expression for from part (b), with distinct modes reordered, then yields
Thus is an invariant subspace, and the matrix of in the ordered orthonormal basis is
Its characteristic polynomial is , giving the eigenvalues and normalized eigenstates
Indeed, and by the assumed orthonormality. Both eigenstates remain in the eigenspace.

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