PHYSICS 502 - QUANTUM MECHANICS

BOOK LIST

Principal (required) text

Principles of Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition), by R. Shankar.

Sorry, it's a heavy book, but I find it to be the best choice overall.

Secondary (optional) text

Modern Quantum Mechanics, by J.J. Sakurai.

This has often been used as a text for this course in the past, but I find it a bit too terse.

Other recommended books

Quantum Mechanics, A Modern Development, by L.E. Ballentine.

This is a slightly revised (1998) version of the original Ballentine text published in 1990. It has a good discussion of some topics related to the foundations of quantum mechanics such as Bell's Theorem.

Quantum Mechanics, by A.S. Davydov.

The only text I know of that has a decent description of linear-response theory (Ch. XII).

Quantum Mechanics, by E. Merzbacher.

On old standby.

Quantum Mechanics, by A. Messiah.

Seems quite old-fashioned nowadays, but still has some good stuff.

A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics, by J.S. Townsend.

Intersting text but with somewhat ideosyncratic order of presentation of topics.