Hermite Polynomials and the Quantum Harmonic Oscillator: An Algebraic Approach

Abstract

This study presents a complete algebraic formulation of the quantum harmonic oscillator, demonstrating that the Hermite polynomials, H n ( x ) , emerge as the fundamental solution when the power-series method is applied to the Schrödinger equation. The physical requirement of square integrability enforces the truncation of the series, leading precisely to these polynomials, which constitute the polynomial part of the energy eigenfunctions, ψ n ( x )= N n H n ( αx ) e − α 2 x 2 /2 , where n is the quantum number. This quantum number directly determines the quantized energy levels through E n =ℏω( n+ 1 2 ) . The analysis based on creation and annihilation operators further reveals that the action of the creation operator on the ground state generates the excited states along with their corresponding Hermite functions. The orthogonality of these polynomials ensures the orthonormality of the complete set of eigenfunctions. Additionally, the geometric Berry phase emerges as a natural extension when the system undergoes adiabatic cyclic changes, revealing a deeper topological structure that complements the conventional algebraic and analytic descriptions. Therefore, Hermite polynomials encapsulate both the mathematical structure and the physical essence of quantization in this fundamental system.