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    Strauss PDEch 4 S 1 P 3

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    Rudi Julianto
    The document summarizes the solution steps to a quantum mechanical particle problem described by the Schrödinger equation. It involves separating variables to obtain a series solution. Negative eigenvalues are found to satisfy the boundary conditions, resulting in eigenfunctions that are sines. The general solution is a linear combination of these products of the time and space solutions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Strauss PDEch 4 S 1 P 3

    Uploaded by

    Rudi Julianto
    78 views4 pages
    The document summarizes the solution steps to a quantum mechanical particle problem described by the Schrödinger equation. It involves separating variables to obtain a series solution. Negative eigenvalues are found to satisfy the boundary conditions, resulting in eigenfunctions that are sines. The general solution is a linear combination of these products of the time and space solutions.

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    StraussPDEch4s1p3

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    The document summarizes the solution steps to a quantum mechanical particle problem described by the Schrödinger equation. It involves separating variables to obtain a series solution. Negative eigenvalues are found to satisfy the boundary conditions, resulting in eigenfunctions that are sines. The general solution is a linear combination of these products of the time and space solutions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    78 views4 pages

    Strauss PDEch 4 S 1 P 3

    Uploaded by

    Rudi Julianto
    The document summarizes the solution steps to a quantum mechanical particle problem described by the Schrödinger equation. It involves separating variables to obtain a series solution. Negative eigenvalues are found to satisfy the boundary conditions, resulting in eigenfunctions that are sines. The general solution is a linear combination of these products of the time and space solutions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    You are on page 1of 4

    Strauss PDEs 2e: Section 4.

    1 - Exercise 3 Page 1 of 4

    Exercise 3
    A quantum-mechanical particle on the line with an infinite potential outside the interval (0, l)
    (“particle in a box”) is given by Schrödinger’s equation ut = iuxx on (0, l) with Dirichlet
    conditions at the ends. Separate the variables and use (8) to find its representation as a series.

    Solution

    The PDE we have to solve is the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation.

    ut = iuxx , 0<x<l

    Its boundary conditions are

    u(0, t) = 0
    u(l, t) = 0.

    Assume an arbitrary initial condition.

    u(x, 0) = φ(x)

    Since the Schrödinger equation and its boundary conditions are linear and homogeneous, the
    method of separation of variables can be applied to solve it. Assume a product solution of the
    form, u(x, t) = X(x)T (t), and plug it into the PDE

    ut = iuxx → XT 0 = iX 00 T

    and the boundary conditions.

    u(0, t) = X(0)T (t) = 0 → X(0) = 0


    u(l, t) = X(l)T (t) = 0 → X(l) = 0

    Separate variables now.


    T0 X 00
    =
    iT X
    Note that i is a constant and can go on either side. The final answer will be the same regardless.
    We have a function of t on the left side and a function of x on the right side. The only way both
    functions can be equal is if they are equal to a constant.

    T0 X 00
    = =k
    iT X
    Values of k for which X(0) = 0 and X(l) = 0 are satisfied are called the eigenvalues, and the
    nontrivial functions X(x) associated with them are called the eigenfunctions.

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    Strauss PDEs 2e: Section 4.1 - Exercise 3 Page 2 of 4

    Determination of Positive Eigenvalues: k = µ2

    Assuming k is positive, the differential equation for X becomes

    X 00
    = µ2 .
    X
    Multiply both sides by X.
    X 00 = µ2 X
    The general solution can be written in terms of hyperbolic sine and hyperbolic cosine.

    X(x) = C1 cosh µx + C2 sinh µx

    Now use the boundary conditions to determine C1 and C2 .

    X(0) = C1 = 0
    X(l) = C1 cosh µl + C2 sinh µl = 0

    We see that C1 = 0 and C2 = 0. Hence, only the trivial solution X(x) = 0 results from
    considering positive values for k, and there are no positive eigenvalues.

    Determination of the Zero Eigenvalue: k = 0

    Assuming k is zero, the differential equation for X becomes

    X 00
    = 0.
    X
    Multiply both sides by X.
    X 00 = 0
    The general solution is a linear function.

    X(x) = C3 x + C4

    Now use the boundary conditions to determine C3 and C4 .

    X(0) = C4 = 0
    X(l) = C3 l + C4 = 0

    We see that C3 = 0 and C4 = 0. Hence, only the trivial solution X(x) = 0 results from
    considering k = 0, and zero is not an eigenvalue.

    Determination of Negative Eigenvalues: k = −λ2

    Assuming k is negative, the differential equation for X becomes

    X 00
    = −λ2 .
    X
    Multiply both sides by X.
    X 00 = −λ2 X

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    Strauss PDEs 2e: Section 4.1 - Exercise 3 Page 3 of 4

    The general solution can be written in terms of sine and cosine.


    X(x) = C5 cos λx + C6 sin λx
    Now use the boundary conditions to determine C5 and C6 .
    X(0) = C5 = 0
    X(l) = C5 cos λl + C6 sin λl = 0
    The second equation simplifies to C6 sin λl = 0. To avoid getting the trivial solution, we insist
    that C6 6= 0. Doing so yields an equation for the eigenvalues.
    sin λl = 0
    Solve for λl.
    λl = nπ, n = 1, 2, . . .
    So then
    nπ
    λ = λn = , n = 1, 2, . . . .
    l
    The eigenfunctions associated with these eigenvalues are
    X(x) = C6 sin λx → Xn (x) = sin λn x, n = 1, 2, . . . .
    Now solve the differential equation for T (t).
    T0
    = −λ2
    iT
    Multiply both sides by i.
    T0
    = −iλ2
    T
    The left side is just the derivative of ln T .
    d
    (ln T ) = −iλ2
    dt
    Integrate both sides with respect to t.
    ln T = −iλ2 t + C7
    Exponentiate both sides.
    2 t+C 2
    T (t) = e−iλ 7
    = e−iλ t eC7
    Use a new constant of integration.
    2t 2
    T (t) = C8 e−iλ → Tn (t) = e−iλn t
    According to the principle of linear superposition, the solution to the PDE for u(x, t) is a linear
    combination of all products Tn (t)Xn (x) over all the eigenvalues.
    ∞
    X
    u(x, t) = An Tn (t)Xn (x)
    n=1
    ∞
    2
    X
    = An e−iλn t sin λn x
    n=1
    ∞
    An e−i(
    nπ 2
    ) sin nπx
    X
    t
    = l
    l
    n=1

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    Strauss PDEs 2e: Section 4.1 - Exercise 3 Page 4 of 4

    Therefore,
    ∞
    n2 π 2 nπx
    An e−i t
    X
    u(x, t) = l2 sin .
    l
    n=1

    The final task is to use Fourier’s method and the initial condition to determine An .
    ∞
    X nπx
    u(x, 0) = An sin = φ(x)
    l
    n=1

    Multiply both sides by sin λm x, where m is a positive integer.


    ∞
    X nπx mπx mπx
    u(x, 0) = An sin sin = φ(x) sin
    l l l
    n=1

    Integrate both sides with respect to x over the domain the PDE is defined.
    ˆ lX
    ∞ ˆ l
    nπx mπx mπx
    An sin sin dx = φ(x) sin dx
    0 n=1 l l 0 l

    Bring the integral inside the sum on the left.


    ∞ ˆ l ˆ l
    X nπx mπx mπx
    An sin sin dx = φ(x) sin dx
    0 l l 0 l
    n=1

    Since n and m are integers,


    ˆ l
    (
    l
    nπx mπx 2 n=m
    sin sin dx = ,
    0 l l 0 n 6= m

    as can be verified with trigonometric identities. This implies that every term in the infinite series
    vanishes except for the n = m term.
    ˆ l
    l nπx
    An · = φ(x) sin dx
    2 0 l

    Therefore, the coefficient is


    ˆ l
    2 nπx
    An = φ(x) sin dx.
    l 0 l

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