Past exam of the quantum theory course of the University of Oxford / 2021 / 1 / b / Solution

The identity ${\cos }^{2}x=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{4}{e}^{2ix}+\frac{1}{4}{e}^{-2ix}$ gives the momentum eigenstate expansionUsing the orthonormal basis from part (a), the wavefunction normalization isHence $|A|=2/\sqrt{3\pi }$. The wavefunction normalization leaves a global phase free; the positive real choice used in the requested expansion givesThe two nonzero eigenvalues of the momentum operator have the same energy eigenvalue $E_{\star }=2{\hslash }^2/m$. Under unitary time evolution, their coefficients acquire the same dynamical phase. With $\Omega =E_{\star }/\hslash =2\hslash /m$,At $t=0$, $1+\cos (2x)=2{\cos }^{2}x$ recovers the initial wavefunction. Its probability density, useful below, is