Energy levels of exponential potential

castlemaster
Messages
37
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Find the eigenfunctions (with angular momentum 0) and the estimation of the 3 first energy levels (given g and a) of a particle in a exponential potential such as

V = -ge-r/a

Homework Equations



Time independent Schrodinger equation (SE)

The Attempt at a Solution



Did a first change of variables for the radial part of the SE R= u/r
Did a second change \sigma = Ke-r/2a to reach the Bessel equation

Then the solutions are Bessel functions and cannot diverge at r = 0. Therefore I end up with

\Phi(r) = A J_{\nu}(Ke^{-r/2a})

First question is: how I calculate the normalisation constant A? I guess I have to integrate from 0 to infinity and do a change of variable ... but then I get an ugly integral with the Bessel function divided by r

Second question: how do I estimate the first energies giving values to g and a? Should I seek the zeros of the bessel function?

Thanks in advance
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi,

I think I see question 2 now.
The Bessel functions are only finite at the origin when the order \nu is a positive integer. Then I only have to be sure K is big enough for the Bessel functions to have 3 zeros, that's it bigger than 5.1356 which is the first zero of J2 . This gives me a relation between a and g.
Then the energies are compute for \nu = 0,1 and 2

For the first question I think there is a series expansion of the bessel functions from where I can take the constant A.

Regards
 
Thread 'Need help understanding this figure on energy levels'
This figure is from "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths (3rd edition). It is available to download. It is from page 142. I am hoping the usual people on this site will give me a hand understanding what is going on in the figure. After the equation (4.50) it says "It is customary to introduce the principal quantum number, ##n##, which simply orders the allowed energies, starting with 1 for the ground state. (see the figure)" I still don't understand the figure :( Here is...
Thread 'Understanding how to "tack on" the time wiggle factor'
The last problem I posted on QM made it into advanced homework help, that is why I am putting it here. I am sorry for any hassle imposed on the moderators by myself. Part (a) is quite easy. We get $$\sigma_1 = 2\lambda, \mathbf{v}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_2 = \lambda, \mathbf{v}_2 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_3 = -\lambda, \mathbf{v}_3 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ -1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} $$ There are two ways...
Back
Top