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Virginia Tech

Time-Dependent Perturbation and the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

We discuss the physical problem of a molecule interacting with an electromagnetic field pulse and model the problem using a time-dependent perturbation of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation to the Schrodinger equation. Using previous results that develop asymptotic series solutions in the Born-Oppenheimer parameter ε, we derive a formal Dyson series expansion in the perturbation parameter μ, which is proportional to the electromagnetic field strength. We then prove that this series is asymptotically accurate in both parameters, provided that the Hamiltonian for the electrons has purely discrete spectrum. Under more general hypotheses, we show that the series is accurate to first order in μ, and that it is accurate to one higher order if we place conditions on the abruptness of the EM pulse. We also show how this series development provides a justification for the Franck-Condon factors in the case of a diatomic molecule.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Physics
Department dc:contributor.department
Physics
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2000

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jilcott, Steven Wayne Jr.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Hagedorn, George A.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Chang, Lay Nam
  • Kohler, Werner E.
  • Klaus, Martin
  • Beattie, Christopher A.

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-04132000-13040037
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/26814

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jilcott, Steven Wayne Jr.. Time-Dependent Perturbation and the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26814