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Indonesian Physical Review

SOLUTION OF THE TIME-INDEPENDENT SCHRÖDINGER EQUATION FOR THE ROSEN–MORSE POTENTIAL BY USING THE GALERKIN METHOD

I Gusti Agung Widagda, Nengah Artawan, Ni Luh Putu Trisnawati, I Gusti Agung Putra Adnyana, Ida Bagus Alit Paramarta

Published Sep 30, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This study presents a numerical solution to the time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) for the Rosen-Morse potential using the Galerkin method. The Rosen-Morse potential, commonly used in atomic and molecular physics, has known analytical solutions under certain conditions. By transforming the TISE into a Jacobi differential equation, the analytical wave function and energy levels can be derived. However, analytical solutions are limited to ideal cases, highlighting the need for numerical methods in more general scenarios. The Galerkin method is implemented by expanding the wave function using Sine basis functions and projecting the TISE onto this basis. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved by constructing the Hamiltonian matrix from kinetic and potential energy operators. Numerical results from the Galerkin method are compared with analytical solutions using graphical analysis, percentage error (% error), and statistical tests, including the Mann-Whitney U test. The results demonstrate that the probability densities obtained using the Galerkin method closely approximate the analytical solution. This is visually evident from the overlapping of probability density plots from both methods. The percentage error of the probability densities is below 1 %, entirely. Furthermore, the Mann–Whitney U test yields a p-value less than 0.05, indicating that the differences between the two sets of probability densities are statistically insignificant at the 95% confidence level. These findings highlight the Galerkin method’s effectiveness and accuracy as a robust numerical tool for solving the TISE with the Rosen-Morse potential.

DOI
10.29303/ipr.v8i3.492

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This study presents a numerical solution to the time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) for the Rosen-Morse potential using the Galerkin method. The Rosen-Morse potential, commonly used in atomic and molecular physics, has known analytical solutions under certain conditions. By transforming the TISE into a Jacobi differential equation, the analytical wave function and energy levels can be derived. However, analytical solutions are limited to ideal cases, highlighting the need for numerical methods in more general scenarios. The Galerkin method is implemented by expanding the wave function using Sine basis functions and projecting the TISE onto this basis. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved by constructing the Hamiltonian matrix from kinetic and potential energy operators. Numerical results from the Galerkin method are compared with analytical solutions using graphical analysis, percentage error (% error), and statistical tests, including the Mann-Whitney U test. The results demonstrate that the probability densities obtained using the Galerkin method closely approximate the analytical solution. This is visually evident from the overlapping of probability density plots from both methods. The percentage error of the probability densities is below 1 %, entirely. Furthermore, the Mann–Whitney U test yields a p-value less than 0.05, indicating that the differences between the two sets of probability densities are statistically insignificant at the 95% confidence level. These findings highlight the Galerkin method’s effectiveness and accuracy as a robust numerical tool for solving the TISE with the Rosen-Morse potential.
An alternative method for obtaining analytical solutions of the time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) is developed and applied to 1-dimensional model quantum systems of interest in atomic and molecular physics. The method is based on proposing a wave function that is a product of two functions, one of them an integrating factor. The differential equation resulting from operating the TISE on the product wave function is compared with a differential equation with a known solution. This comparison produces a system of differential equations for the integrating factor. This system of equations is easily solved for model quantum systems such as the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom and the Morse oscillator. The method presented simplifies some approaches shown in textbooks, based on asymptotic analyses of the TISE, and power series methods with recurrence relations. In addition, the method presented here facilitates the understanding of the relationship between the ordinary differential equations of the mathematical physics and the TISE of physical models as the harmonic oscillator, the Hydrogen atom, and the Morse oscillator.
This research investigates the numeric solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation for the quantum harmonic oscillator by finite difference approach. The harmonic oscillator, described by a quadratic function potential, is a fundamental model in quantum mechanics due to its broad applications, ranging from molecular vibrations to quantum field theory. The time-independent Schrödinger equation is a second-order differential equation that typically poses challenges when solved analytically for complex potentials. The finite difference method become an attractive choice as it transforms the continuous differential equation into a system of linear equations that can be computationally solved through computer programming code. In this study, the spatial domain is discretized, and the second derivative is calculated by using central differences, transforming the TISE into a tridiagonal matrix representing Hamiltonian of system. By finding solutions to this matrix eigenvalue problem, wavefunctions and eigenvalues are obtained. The study results demonstrate that the finite difference approach effectively solves the TISE for the harmonic oscillator. The results obtained by using the finite difference method closely approximate the analytical results. The linear regression results show respectively that the gradient (β1), regression coefficient (β0) and coefficient of determination (R²) approach ideal values of 1, 0, and 1. The z-test results also show that the value of calculated z < critical z, indicating that the wavefunction and probability density, whether estimated by using finite difference approach or analytical methods, are equivalent with confidence level of 95 percent.
The objective of this study is to numerically solve and apply two approximate methods to investigate the Time Independent Schrödinger Equation (TISE) in one dimension for an infinite potential square well. These two numerical methods are the Numerov Method (NM) and Matrix Method (MM). As a simulation tool, MATLAB, a high-level programming language and an efficient simulation tool, is used for modeling and solving TISE in one dimension. Exact analytical solutions for these potential functions are obtained and compared with numerical solutions and computational techniques. The energy eigenvalues and Eigen functions of a particle (such as an electron) restricted to move inside this potential are discussed as an illustration. The numerically calculated energies of several states with increasing numbers of points were obtained from both methods and compared with the simulation results of the exact solution. As an exemplary case, the first five wave functions are accurately determined numerically where the discreteness is found since the wave function vanishes at the boundary. The obtained results show very good agreement and the similarity is clearly confirmed between the three cases. This agreement confirms that this approach was highly accurate and efficient. The accuracy and the convergence of the numerical obtained results were easily checked. The stability of these methods is due to the fact that there are no restrictions on the time steps to be taken. The merits of these numerical methods are to avoid a huge expense in time when solving Schrödinger equation.
Abstract After revisiting the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and introducing the Hamiltonian operator, the time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE) is obtained. Conditions on acceptable wavefunctions are then stated. The method for solution of the TISE is laid out, and the infinite potential well is solved as an example. A discussion of the physical interpretation of the solutions — as energy eigenstates in position space — follows. This provides an opportunity to introduce overall and relative phases, and to point out that the latter are responsible for time evolution. The TISE is then applied to the important problems of scattering from a step potential and tunneling through a rectangular potential barrier. Use of the TISE for such problems greatly simplifies calculations, but it can also instill misconceptions; both aspects are discussed.
This paper investigates applying the approximate method; Graphical Solution Method (GSM), to theoretically solve the Time Independent Schrödinger Equation (TISE) in one dimension for a finite square well using MATLAB. With just few lines of MATLAB coding, calculating and plotting accurate eigenvalues (energy), eigenvectors (wave functions) and the bound eigenstates are possible for the finite square well of a negative potential (depth of the well) of -400 eV and a well width of 0.1 nm for an electron confined to this quantum well. These eigenvalues, eigenvectors and eigenstates are obtained and discussed. The found energy eigenvalues and states are discrete and yield physical acceptable solutions. The even and odd solutions of the TISE are also considered. The graphical solutions for the finite potential well are shown. The locations of discrete eigenvalues for even and odd solutions are also presented. These eigenvalues are tested confirming the correct eigenfunctions. The precision of these solutions depend on well width L and on the interval dx used to integrate the equation. Exact analytical solutions for this case are obtained and compared with results from the GSM. The accuracy and the convergence of the numerical results are easily checked. The results showed that the GSM can be considered as a suitable mean for determining the one dimensional solutions for the finite square well.
Abstract The Morse potential is an important problem to examine due to its applications in describing vibrations and bond breaking in molecules. It also shares some properties with the simpler harmonic oscillator, at the same time displaying differences, allowing for an interesting contrast to its well-studied counterpart. The solution of the Morse potential is not usually taught in a quantum mechanics class, since using differential equations makes it very tedious. Here, we illustrate how to solve the Morse potential using the Schrödinger factorization method. This operator method is a powerful tool to find the energy eigenvalues, eigenstates, and wavefunctions without using differential equations in position space, allowing us to solve more problems without requiring a discussion of hypergeometric or confluent hypergeometric functions.