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Particle in a uniform magnetic field under the symmetric gauge: the eigenfunctions and the time evolution of wave packets

P E de Brito1 and H N Nazareno2

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In the present work we treat the problem of a particle in a uniform magnetic field along the symmetric gauge, so chosen since the wavefunctions present the required cylindrical symmetry. It is our understanding that by means of this work we can make a contribution to the teaching of the present subject, as well as encourage students to use computer algebra systems in solving problems of quantum mechanics. We obtained the degeneracy of the spectrum of eigenvalues in a very clear way. Through the use of a computer algebra system we show graphs of the probability density associated with different eigenvalues as well as compare such functions for some degenerate states, which helps us to visualize the physics of the problem. We also present a semiclassical model which gives a physical insight regarding the paradoxical fact that eigenfunctions associated with opposite angular momenta and different energy eigenvalues have the same probability density. Finally, by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation we obtain the time evolution of a wave packet that at time zero was considered to be localized in a definite region of the lattice. The centroid of such a packet performs an orbit similar to that obtained in the classical treatment of a particle in a magnetic field.


PACS

03.65.Fd Algebraic methods

03.65.Ge Solutions of wave equations: bound states

02.50.-r Probability theory, stochastic processes, and statistics

03.65.Sq Semiclassical theories and applications

02.10.Ox Combinatorics; graph theory

Subjects

Mathematical physics

Computational physics

Quantum information and quantum mechanics

Dates

Issue 1 (January 2007)

Received 7 July 2006, in final form 29 September 2006

Published 30 October 2006



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