Quantum Mechanics – How the Planck Constant Enters Into the Uncertainty Principle

dimensional analysisfourier transformheisenberg-uncertainty-principlephysical constantsquantum mechanics

In Stein & Shakarchi's Fourier Analysis, the Fourier transform of a Schwartz function $\psi$ is defined to be
$$\hat{\psi}(\xi) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty \psi(x) e^{-2\pi i x \xi} dx$$
which gives the uncertainty principle as
$$\Big(\int_{-\infty}^\infty (x-\overline{x})^2|\psi(x)|^2 dx\Big)\Big(\int_{-\infty}^\infty (\xi-\overline{\xi})^2|\hat{\psi}(\xi)|^2 d\xi\Big) \geq \frac{1}{16 \pi^2}$$
for any $\overline{x}, \overline{\xi} \in \mathbb{R}$.

The authors then claim that if $\psi$ is the "state function" for an electron in one dimension, then $|\psi(x)|^2 dx$ is the probability density for the position and the expectance is $\overline{x} = \int_{-\infty}^\infty x|\psi(x)|^2 dx$, so the first term represents the variance of position. Next, they claim that $\int_a^b|\hat{\psi}(\xi)|^2 dx$ is the probability for the momentum, $\xi$, to be in $(a,b)$. Finally, they state that they rescaled to change the units of measurement, and that actually, the uncertainty principle gives

(uncertainty of position)$\times$(uncertainty of momentum)$\geq \frac{\hbar}{16 \pi^2}$.

I am trying to work out how they arrived at this, and how this fits with the more common version
$$\sigma_x \sigma_p \geq \frac{\hbar}{2}.$$
My attempt so far:

If $\psi$ is the position state, then the probability density for the position, $x$, of the particle is given by $|\psi(x)|^2$. Thus the expected value for position is
$\mu_x = \int_\infty^\infty x |\psi(x)|^2 dx$
and the variance is
$$\sigma^2_x = \int_\infty^\infty (x – \mu_x)^2 |\psi(x)|^2 dx.$$

Similarly, if $\phi$ is the momentum state, then the probability density for the momentum, $p$, of the particle is given by $|\phi(p)|^2$. Thus the expected value for momentum is
$\mu_p = \int_\infty^\infty p |\phi(p)|^2 dp$
with variance
$$\sigma^2_p = \int_\infty^\infty (p – \mu_p)^2 |\phi(p)|^2 dp.$$

Letting $\xi = \frac{p}{\hbar}$, where $\hbar = \frac{h}{2\pi}$ is the reduced Planck constant, the probability density is then given by $\frac{1}{\hbar}|\widehat{\psi}(\xi)|^2$. Thus the expected value for momentum becomes
$\mu_p = \hbar \int_\infty^\infty \xi |\widehat{\psi}(\xi)|^2 d\xi = \hbar \mu_\xi$
and the variance becomes
$$\sigma^2_p = \hbar^2 \int_\infty^\infty (\xi – \mu_\xi)^2 |\widehat{\psi}(\xi)|^2 d\xi.$$

Hence
$$\sigma^2_x \sigma^2_p = \hbar^2\Big(\int_\infty^\infty (x – \mu_x)^2 |\psi(x)|^2 dx\Big)\Big(\int_\infty^\infty (\xi – \mu_\xi)^2 |\widehat{\psi}(\xi)|^2 d\xi\Big)$$
So, by the uncertainty principle,
$\sigma_x \sigma_p \geq \frac{\hbar}{4 \pi}$?

My guess is I am incorrect about the probability density for momentum being $\frac{1}{\hbar}|\widehat{\psi}(\xi)|^2$, but this appeared to be the case from my reading of chapter 3 in Griffiths' Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, though with another definition of the Fourier transform. I cannot see how else to incorporate the Planck constant.

I would appreciate any help in how to arrive at the authors' conclusion, if possible.

Best Answer

Notice that the kernel of the transform from position to momentum representations is $$ e^{- i x p / \hbar}. $$ Thus, comparing with your definition of Fourier transform, you need to have $$ \xi = \frac{p}{h}, $$ while you used $\hbar$ instead. Indeed, if you substitute $h$ to $\hbar$ anywhere in the last few equations, and in particular in the last one, you get the correct result, i.e., $$ \sigma_x \sigma_p \geq \frac{h}{4 \pi} = \frac{\hbar}{2}. $$

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