3.II.16G

Quantum Mechanics
Part IB, 2005

A particle of mass μ\mu moves in two dimensions in an axisymmetric potential. Show that the time-independent Schrödinger equation can be separated in polar coordinates. Show that the angular part of the wave function has the form eimϕe^{i m \phi}, where ϕ\phi is the angular coordinate and mm is an integer. Suppose that the potential is zero for r<ar<a, where rr is the radial coordinate, and infinite otherwise. Show that the radial part of the wave function satisfies

d2Rdρ2+1ρdRdρ+(1m2ρ2)R=0\frac{d^{2} R}{d \rho^{2}}+\frac{1}{\rho} \frac{d R}{d \rho}+\left(1-\frac{m^{2}}{\rho^{2}}\right) R=0

where ρ=r(2μE/2)1/2\rho=r\left(2 \mu E / \hbar^{2}\right)^{1 / 2}. What conditions must RR satisfy at r=0r=0 and R=aR=a ?

Show that, when m=0m=0, the equation has the solution R(ρ)=k=0AkρkR(\rho)=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty} A_{k} \rho^{k}, where Ak=0A_{k}=0 if kk is odd and

Ak+2=Ak(k+2)2A_{k+2}=-\frac{A_{k}}{(k+2)^{2}}

if kk is even

Deduce the coefficients A2A_{2} and A4A_{4} in terms of A0A_{0}. By truncating the series expansion at order ρ4\rho^{4}, estimate the smallest value of ρ\rho at which the RR is zero. Hence give an estimate of the ground state energy.

[You may use the fact that the Laplace operator is given in polar coordinates by the expression

2=2r2+1rr+1r22ϕ2]\left.\nabla^{2}=\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial r^{2}}+\frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial}{\partial r}+\frac{1}{r^{2}} \frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial \phi^{2}}\right]