11.4 Adiabatic and Sudden Approximations In standard time-dependent perturbation theory, we assume that the time- dependent perturbation is weak. An alternative approach, where we assume the timo-dependence is slow, is called the adiabatic approximation. Suppose that H = H(g(t)), where g(t) tells us the dependence on time. This might correspond to a variation in time of some parameters. We still have d ‘ , the (WUD) = H((d)) [Y(@)) (11.186) and at any instant of time we have H(a(t)) In(a(t))) = En(a(t)) In(o(t))) (11.187) where n(9(t)) represents the quantum numbers describing the instantaneous state vector. Let us assume that the instantaneous eigenvectors always form a complete set so that we can write [¥(t)) = Do an(te™© In(g)) (11.188) where we have generalized the phase factor eT nent (11.189) that appeared in a similar expression in our earlier derivations to include the term Bn (t) = ni [ extoteyae (11.190) a which is called the dynamical phase.Inserting this expression for the state vector |v(t)) into the time-dependent Schrodinger equation we get d *y ih Dantem In(g(t))) = AG) Yale In(a(e))) ay dealt sat In(o(t))) + aD ote * In(g(t) +m Dante 04 In(ate)) = Taal sith Ing) = Lean(theO ew (att) In(g(0)) ny Mal 00 ginny + th Tan (7 Pao jig) $n D onl the®F in(g(t))) = Yo aalthe™ Enta() Im(att)) Now d,(t) _ wld a al _ ae a Eqla(t at! = ~T En (a(t) (11.191) 0 Therefore, we get da,.(t) dt ef In(g(t))) + Leanne F In(g(t)))=0 (11.192) Applying the linear functional (m {m(a())] (11.193) from the left we get _ 2 (mn | n) + Done! = | 4 in) =0 (11.194)Using dm | n) = bin (11.195) we have dex Ee ee me (| " |n) (11.196) & deem a =a eiPn—Bm) ( (11.197) Now taking the time derivative of the eigenvalue equation we have ai a a dEn d — A |n) =— En= 11.198 at (0) + HG In) = ln) + En Gln) ( ) (11.199) (11.200) (11.201) ‘Thus, we finally have da, Am In) ‘m ity <1 ee) £1508 de 7 Dae" En — En (202) We choose the initial state to be one of the instantancous eigenvectors [(0)) = In(g(0))) (11.203) which implies that @n(0) =1 Gm(0) =0 menTherefore, for m #n at small t we have dam we cilBn—Pm)t a ~° (11.204) We now assume that (11.205) have slow time dependence and that to this order of approximation we can write cilBn—Bm)t §(Em— Ene (11.206) which is what we would have if there was no extra time dependence. We then get a(t) © ee [eee _ 1] (11.207) ‘This implies that y(t) remains small form #n (11.208) The adiabatic theorem assumes that in the case where the system starts in an eigenstate |n) at = 0, ie., Gn(t)=0 men (11.209) and that [(t)) = e*"" In(g(A))) (11-210) which says that if the system was in the eigenstate |n) at t = 0, ie.,H(g(0)) \n) = Hy In) = en |r) (11.211) then at a later time ¢, it is still in the same eigenstate |n(g(t))) of the new Hamiltonian H(9(t)), i.e, H1(9(#)) In(t)) = En(t) In()) (11.212) This result is independent of the size of the perturbation. It depends only on the change in time being slow. ‘This means that if we start with a particle in the ground state of a harmonic oscillator potential v= SMO)a? = vo(k(0).2) (11.213) and assume that (0) > A(T) (11.214) slowly, the particle ends up in the ground state of the harmonic oscillator po- tential ve SH)? 3 Wo(k(T),2) (11.215) to within a phase factor. ‘The opposite result comes from the so-called sudden approzimation , where the change occurs so fast that no changes of the state vector are possible.