Quantum Mechanics – Confusion About Time Dependent Perturbation Theory

approximationshamiltonianperturbation-theorypotentialquantum mechanics

Say for simplicity we are in a two state system with a Hamiltonian:

$$H=H_0+V(t)$$

Where $H_0$ is:
$$\begin{pmatrix}
\epsilon_0&0\\
0&\epsilon_1
\end{pmatrix}$$

While $V(t)$ is:
$$\begin{pmatrix}
0&V_{01}(t)\\
V_{10}(t)&0
\end{pmatrix}$$

We can then write out state kets as:
$$|\psi\rangle=c_0(t)|0\rangle+c_1(t)|1\rangle$$
And then Sakurai tells us that these coefficients can be found to first order to be:
$$c_n(t)=\langle n|U_I(t,t_0)|i\rangle$$
$$c_n^{(1)}(t)=\delta_{ni}-\frac{i}{\hbar}\int_{t_0}^te^{i\omega_{ni}t}V_{ni}(t)d{t}$$
Where:
$$\omega_{ni}=\frac{E_n-E_i}{\hbar}$$
And then the probability of transitions form $|0\rangle$ to $|1\rangle$ is given by:
$$P(i\rightarrow n)\approx|c_n^{(1)}|^2$$
However, what if I want to calculate the probability that it stays in the state $|0\rangle$? That would reduce to:
$$c_0(t)=\langle 0|U_I|0\rangle$$
$$c_0(t)=1-\frac{i}{\hbar}\int_{t_0}^te^{i\omega_{10}t}V_{00}(t)$$
$$= 1$$
$$\Rightarrow P(0\rightarrow 0)= 1$$
Which seems like a contradiction as I feel like it should be $1-|c_1|^2$, so what is happening here? Why do we get what probability transistion and then an entirely different probability for no transition?

Best Answer

As you indicated, it is only an approximation that $P(i\rightarrow n) \approx |c_n^{(1)}|^2$. It only holds, if $ |\sum_j \lambda^j c_n^{(j)}|^2 = |c_n|^2 \ll 1$. Since you have $|c_n^{(1)}|^2 = 1$, you have to include higher order terms for the approximation to be valid (also might be not valid at all; depends on the perturbation).

A quick note: I went through my lecture notes because I never saw the $\delta_{ni}$-term in the expression for $c_n^{(1)}$, and I also didn't have that there. I'm also a bit confused what the $U_I(t)$ is here. Are you confusing Interaction picture with the Schrödinger picture?

The correct expression for for the $c_n$'s can be derived from their differential equations: $\frac{d}{dt}c_n^{(j)} = \frac{1}{i\hbar}\sum_m V_{nm}(t)\ c_m^{(j-1)} e^{i\omega_{nm}t}$ So for a given initial state $|i\rangle$: $c_n^{(0)} = \delta_{ni}$, and therefore $c_f^{(1)}(t) = \frac{1}{i\hbar} \int_{t_0}^t V_{fi} e^{i\omega_{fi}t'}dt'$