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Journal of Mathematical Physics

The exact solution of the Schrödinger equation with a polynomially spatially varying mass

Michal Bednařı́k, Milan Červenka

Published Jul 1, 2017• 4 citations

Abstract

The Schrödinger equation with a position-dependent mass (SEPDM) is employed in many areas of quantum physics. Exact solutions for the SEPDM lie at the center of interest of the professional public because it helps us to understand the behavior of quantum particles in the cases in which their mass varies spatially. For this purpose, we used the mass function represented by a quartic polynomial and a quadratic potential function, which extends the current class of exact solutions of the SEPDM. The exact analytical solution of the problem is expressed as a linear combination of local Heun functions. Heun’s equation contains many parameters, resulting in its general nature. We studied how limit changes in some of these parameters will affect the solution of the SEPDM. The obtained solutions are particularly suitable for the transfer matrix method and solutions of scattering problems; this is demonstrated by the calculation of bound states.

DOI: 10.1063/1.4993194

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The Schrödinger equation with a position-dependent mass (SEPDM) is employed in many areas of quantum physics. Exact solutions for the SEPDM lie at the center of interest of the professional public because it helps us to understand the behavior of quantum particles in the cases in which their mass varies spatially. For this purpose, we used the mass function represented by a quartic polynomial and a quadratic potential function, which extends the current class of exact solutions of the SEPDM. The exact analytical solution of the problem is expressed as a linear combination of local Heun functions. Heun’s equation contains many parameters, resulting in its general nature. We studied how limit changes in some of these parameters will affect the solution of the SEPDM. The obtained solutions are particularly suitable for the transfer matrix method and solutions of scattering problems; this is demonstrated by the calculation of bound states.

In the present work, we proceed to study the Schrödinger equation with dependent mass position. From the resulting partial differential equations, we obtain exact analytical solutions governed by Bessel functions. The exact solution of Schrödinger's equation for a particle with dependent position of the mass (PDM) is a "half-harmonic potential" defined in a Hilbert space. The harmonic oscillator is carried by the wave function ψ(x) through the Bessel function. The magnitude of ψ(x) increases dramatically as the values of the spatial coordinate become larger and larger. This growth is all the more marked as the mass parameter increases. It appears that the wave function has the same asymptotic behavior as the solution of Airy's equation of the second kind. Their oscillations have the same amplitudes near infinity. The mass parameter has a great importance and influence on the mass and also on the wave potential. It is a control parameter in the Schrödinger equations (PDM).

An algebraic method of constructing potentials for which the Schrödinger equation with position dependent mass can be solved exactly is presented. A general form of the generators of su (1,1) algebra has been employed with a unified approach to the problem. Our systematic approach reproduces a number of earlier results and also leads to some novelties. We show that the solutions of the Schrödinger equation with position dependent mass are free from the choice of parameters for position dependent mass. Two classes of potentials are constructed that include almost all exactly solvable potentials.

During recent years, exact solutions of position-dependent mass Schrödinger equations have inspired intense research activities, based on the use of point canonical transformations, Lie algebraic methods or supersymmetric quantum mechanical techniques. Here we highlight the interest of another approach to such problems, relying on quadratic algebras. We illustrate this point by constructing spectrum generating algebras for a class of d -dimensional radial harmonic oscillators with d ≥ 2 (including the one-dimensional oscillator on the line via some minor changes) and a specific mass choice. This provides us with a counterpart of the well-known su(1, 1) Lie algebraic approach to the constant-mass oscillators.

Using the coordinate transformation method, we solve the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with position-dependent mass. The explicit expressions for the potentials, energy eigenvalues, and eigenfunctions of the systems are given. The eigenfunctions can be expressed in terms of the Jacobi, Hermite, and generalized Laguerre polynomials. All potentials for these solvable systems have an extra term V m , which is produced from the dependence of mass on the position, compared with those for the systems of constant mass. The properties of V m for several mass functions are discussed.