Abstract
In the usual formalism of quantum mechanics, the first quantization formalism, observables are represented by operators and the wave functions are normal functions. In the method of second quantization, the wave functions are also expressed in terms of operators. The formalism starts with the introduction of an abstract vector space, the Fock space. The basis vectors of the Fock space are occupation number vectors, with each vector defined by a set of occupation numbers (0 or 1 for fermions). An occupation number vector represents a Slater determinant with each occupation number giving the occupation of given spin orbital. Creation and annihilation operators that respectively adds and removes electrons are then introduced. Representations of usual operators are expressed in terms of the very same operators.
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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Olsen, J. (1992). The Method of Second Quantization. In: Roos, B.O. (eds) Lecture Notes in Quantum Chemistry. Lecture Notes in Chemistry, vol 58. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58150-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58150-2_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-55371-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-58150-2
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