Reconstructing the Potential Function in a Formulation of Quantum Mechanics Based on Orthogonal Polynomials

Enrico G. Beltrametti, Gianni Cassinelli, Peter Carruthers

Abdulaziz D Alhaidari

Abstract In a recent reformulation of quantum mechanics, the properties of the physical system are derived from orthogonal polynomials that make up the expansion coefficients of the wavefunction in a complete set of square integrable basis. Here, we show how to reconstruct the potential function so that a correspondence with the standard formulation could be established. However, the correspondence places restriction on the kinematics of such problems.

Abdulaziz D Alhaidari, T. J. Taiwo

Using a formulation of quantum mechanics based on orthogonal polynomials in the energy and physical parameters, we study quantum systems totally confined in space and associated with the discrete Meixner polynomials. We present several examples of such systems, derive their corresponding potential functions, and plot some of their bound states.

Peter Mittelstaedt

A. D. Alhaidari, M. E. H. Ismail

In the standard formulation of quantum mechanics, one starts by proposing a potential function that models the physical system. The potential is then inserted into the Schrödinger equation, which is solved for the wavefunction, bound states energy spectrum, and/or scattering phase shift. In this work, however, we propose an alternative formulation in which the potential function does not appear. The aim is to obtain a set of analytically realizable systems, which is larger than in the standard formulation and may or may not be associated with any given or previously known potential functions. We start with the wavefunction, which is written as a bounded infinite sum of elements of a complete basis with polynomial coefficients that are orthogonal on an appropriate domain in the energy space. Using the asymptotic properties of these polynomials, we obtain the scattering phase shift, bound states, and resonances. This formulation enables one to handle not only the well-known quantum systems but also previously untreated ones. Illustrative examples are given for two- and three-parameter systems.

Peter Mittelstaedt