Principles of Quantum Mechanics · Problem 14.5.3

Addition of Angular Momenta — R. Shankar

Physics — Quantum Mechanics · stern-gerlach-spin-half

Problem

A beam of spin-1/21/2 particles moving along the yy axis goes through two collinear SG apparatuses, both with lower beams blocked. The first has its B\mathbf{B} field along the zz axis and the second has its B\mathbf{B} field along the xx axis (i.e., is obtained by rotating the first by an angle π/2\pi/2 about the yy axis). What fraction of particles leaving the first will exit the second? If a third filter that transmits only spin up along the zz axis is introduced, what fraction of particles leaving the first will exit the third? If the middle filter transmits both spins up and down (no blocking) the xx axis, but the last one transmits only spin down the zz axis, what fraction of particles leaving the first will leave the last?

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