The Free-Particle Propagator

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Quantum Mechanics A
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Schrödinger Equation
The most fundamental equation of quantum mechanics; given a Hamiltonian , it describes how a state evolves in time.
Basic Concepts and Theory of Motion
UV Catastrophe (Black-Body Radiation)
Photoelectric Effect
Stability of Matter
Double Slit Experiment
Stern-Gerlach Experiment
The Principle of Complementarity
The Correspondence Principle
The Philosophy of Quantum Theory
Brief Derivation of Schrödinger Equation
Relation Between the Wave Function and Probability Density
Stationary States
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
Some Consequences of the Uncertainty Principle
Linear Vector Spaces and Operators
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The Schrödinger Equation in Dirac Notation
Transformations of Operators and Symmetry
Time Evolution of Expectation Values and Ehrenfest's Theorem
One-Dimensional Bound States
Oscillation Theorem
The Dirac Delta Function Potential
Scattering States, Transmission and Reflection
Motion in a Periodic Potential
Summary of One-Dimensional Systems
Harmonic Oscillator Spectrum and Eigenstates
Analytical Method for Solving the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Coherent States
Charged Particles in an Electromagnetic Field
WKB Approximation
The Heisenberg Picture: Equations of Motion for Operators
The Interaction Picture
The Virial Theorem
Commutation Relations
Angular Momentum as a Generator of Rotations in 3D
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Eigenvalue Quantization
Orbital Angular Momentum Eigenfunctions
General Formalism
Free Particle in Spherical Coordinates
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Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator
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WKB in Spherical Coordinates
Feynman Path Integrals
The Free-Particle Propagator
Propagator for the Harmonic Oscillator
Differential Cross Section and the Green's Function Formulation of Scattering
Central Potential Scattering and Phase Shifts
Coulomb Potential Scattering

We will now evaluate the kernel for a free particle. In this case, the action is just

Note that we renamed to and to the reason for this will become clear shortly. Let us now discretize the path that the particle takes, so that the intermediate positions are We discretize the time axis similarly, with a spacing between two subsequent times, so that and so on. The action may then be written as

The kernel now becomes

We will now evaluate this integral. Let us first switch to the variables,

We then get

Although the multiple integral looks formidable, it is not. Let us begin by doing the integral over Considering just the part of the integrand that involves we get

Now let us evaluate the integral over Again considering just the part of the integrand that involves we get

We now continue to do this until all of the have been integrated out. At the step (i.e., integrating out ), the integral that we evaluate and the solution are

Combining all of these results together, we find that the kernel is

or, rewriting in terms of and

Since we divided the time interval up into equal amounts, we note that We may now take the limit, finally obtaining the free-particle propagator,