Connection between Quantum-Mechanical Hydrogen Atom and Harmonic Oscillator
Connection between Quantum-Mechanical Hydrogen Atom and Harmonic Oscillator
The bound states of the hydrogen atom are governed by the geometrical symmetry (not considering the full dynamical symmetry ). Similarly, the two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator exhibits the symmetry . To anyone versed in the theory of Lie groups, it would not be surprising that there might be an explicit connection between these two problems, in view of the local isomorphism between the corresponding Lie algebras and .
SO(3)
SO(4)
SU(2)
so(3)
su(2)
The radial Schrödinger equation for a hydrogen-like system, in atomic units, is given by
-+R(r)-R(r)=-R(r),l=0,1,2,…,n=l+1,l+2,…
1
2
2
r
d
dr
2
r
dR
dr
l(l+1)
2
2
r
Z
r
2
Z
2
2
n
with the unnormalized solutions
R
nl
l
r
-Zr/n
e
2l+1
L
n-l-1
2Zr
n
where is an associated Laguerre polynomial. Consider now a two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator, expressed in polar coordinates. The associated radial Schrödinger equation takes the form
L
-ρ+P(ρ)+P(ρ)=ωP(ρ),m=0,±1,±2,…,=|m|+1,|m|+3,|m|+5,…
1
2ρ
ρ
dP
dρ
2
m
2
2
ρ
1
2
2
ω
2
ρ
n
osc
n
osc
Using DSolve, we find the unnormalized solutions:
P
m
n
osc
m
ρ
-ω2
2
ρ
e
m
L
-m-12
n
osc
2
ρ
The solutions of the two problems can be made equivalent by the substitutions:
r
nω
2Z
2
ρ
m2l+1
n
osc
For selected values of and , the graphic shows plots of the radial wavefunctions and , as well as the corresponding radial distribution functions (RDFs) and .
n
l
R(r)
P(ρ)
2
r
2
R(r)
ρ
2
P(ρ)