Effective polar potential in the central force Schrödinger equation


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Shikakhwa M., Mustafa M.

European Journal of Physics, vol.31, no.1, pp.151-156, 2010 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 31 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1088/0143-0807/31/1/014
  • Journal Name: European Journal of Physics
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.151-156
  • TED University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The angular part of the Schrödinger equation for a central potential is brought to the one-dimensional 'Schrödinger form' where one has a kinetic energy plus potential energy terms. The resulting polar potential is seen to be a family of potentials characterized by the square of the magnetic quantum number m. It is demonstrated that this potential can be viewed as a confining potential that attempts to confine the particle to the xy-plane, with a strength that increases with increasing m. Linking the solutions of the equation to the conventional solutions of the angular equation, i.e. the associated Legendre functions, we show that the variation in the spatial distribution of the latter for different values of the orbital angular quantum number l can be viewed as being a result of 'squeezing' with different strengths by the introduced 'polar potential'. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.