Here, we collect some testimonials from happy Composer users around the world. Do you have any feedback to offer? Please email cweidner-at-phys.au.dk and let us know what you think!
How did you use Composer in your course?
Composer was a very valuable addition to my course “Quantum Mechanics for Nanoscience” in that it provides an easy way of interactively visualizing fundamental 1D problems. I used it during the lectures for visualizing wave functions and probability distributions of bound and continuum states, as well as to illustrate time-dependent solutions and solutions to problems that cannot be solved analytically, such as arbitrarily-shaped potential wells and quantum scattering. Furthermore, in the theoretical exercises the students independently used Composer to solve specific stationary and time-dependent problems and to explore analytically inaccessible problems.
Will you continue using Composer in your course?
I will continue to use Composer both in my lectures and in the exercises as well as in the final exam. Any 1D problem discussed at the blackboard will be complemented by visualizations using Composer. This pertains to the bound particle (box potential, harmonic oscillator, arbitrarily-shaped potential well), the free particle and scattering problems, as well as time-dependent problems such as wave-packet motion and the tunneling effect.
What do you like about Composer?
Composer is really intuitive and easy to use so that students can get started to work on quantum mechanics problems without spending much time and effort on technical aspects. It only takes a minute from specifying the Hamiltonian to seeing the solutions. The work flow to create a running Composer file closely resembles the standard procedures of solving quantum mechanics problems analytically. A variety of predefined active nodes for computing and plotting eigenvalues, eigenfunctions, and related quantities make the “programming” very convenient.
Do you recommend Composer for other instructors teaching quantum mechanics? Why?
I definitely recommend Composer to all instructors of introductory quantum mechanics courses. It is a valuable addition to any analytical calculation of 1D problems. In addition to providing the students with an easy-to-use tool for numerical problem solving and visualization, it also conveys the fun of exploring more complex settings and triggers the student’s curiosity for the topic.
