Two charges on a plane in a magnetic field: II. Moving neutral quantum system across a magnetic field

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field I. “Quasi-equal” charges and neutral quantum system at rest cases

Due to the importance of gauge symmetry in all fields of physics, and motivated by an article written almost three decades ago that warns against a naive handling of gauge transformations in the Landau level problem (a quantum electron moving in a spatially uniform magnetic field), we point out a proper use of the generators of dynamical symmetries combined with gauge transformation methods to easily obtain exact analytical solutions for all Landau level-wavefunctions in arbitrary gauge. Our method is different from the old argument and provides solutions in an easier manner and in a broader set of geometries and gauges; in so doing, it eliminates the need for extra procedures (i.e. a change of basis) pointed out as a necessary step in the old literature, and gives back the standard simple result, provided that an appropriate use is made of the dynamical symmetries of the system and their generators. In this way the present work will at least be useful for university-level education, i.e. in advanced classes in quantum mechanics and condensed matter physics. In addition, it clarifies the actual role of the gauge in the Landau level problem, which often appears confusing in the usual derivations provided in textbooks. Finally, we go further by showing that a similar methodology can be made to apply to the more difficult case of a spatially non-uniform magnetic field (where closed analytical results are rare), in which case the various generators (pseudomomentum and pseudo-angular momentum) appear as line integrals of the inhomogeneous magnetic field; we give closed analytical solutions for all cases, and show how the old and rather forgotten Bawin–Burnel gauge shows up naturally as a 'reference gauge' in all solutions.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0143-0807/37/6/065401/pdf

Generators of dynamical symmetries and the correct gauge transformation in the Landau level problem: use of pseudomomentum and pseudo-angular momentum

Low-lying bound states for the problem of two Coulomb charges of finite masses on a plane subject to a constant magnetic field $B$ perpendicular to the plane are considered. Major emphasis is given to two systems: two charges with the equal charge-to-mass ratio (quasi-equal charges) and neutral systems with concrete results for the Hydrogen atom and two electrons (quantum dot). It is shown that for these two cases, but when a neutral system is at rest (the center-of-mass momentum is zero), some outstanding properties occur: in double polar coordinates in CMS $(R, \phi)$ and relative $(\rho, \varphi)$ coordinate systems (i) the eigenfunctions are factorizable, all factors except for $\rho$-dependent are found analytically, they have definite relative angular momentum, (ii) dynamics in $\rho$-direction is the same for both systems being described by a funnel-type potential; (iii) at some discrete values of dimensionless magnetic fields $b \leq 1$ the system becomes {\it quasi-exactly-solvable} and a finite number of eigenfunctions in $\rho$ are polynomials. The variational method is employed. Trial functions are based on combining for the phase of a wavefunction (a) the WKB expansion at large distances, (b) the perturbation theory at small distances (c) with a form of the known analytically (quasi-exactly-solvable) eigenfunctions. For the lowest states with relative magnetic quantum numbers $s=0,1,2$ this approximation gives not less than 7 s.d., 8 s.d., 9 s.d., respectively, for the total energy $E(B)$ for magnetic fields $0.049\, \text{a.u.} < B < 2000\, \text{a.u.} $ (Hydrogen atom) and $0.025\, \text{a.u.}\eqslantless B \eqslantless 1000\, \text{a.u.} $ (two electrons).

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field I. "Quasi-equal" charges and neutral quantum system at rest cases

We consider a non-relativistic two-dimensional (2D) hydrogen-like atom in a weak, static, uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the atomic plane. Within the framework of the Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory, using the Sturmian expansion of the generalized radial Coulomb Green function, we derive explicit analytical expressions for corrections to an arbitrary planar hydrogenic bound-state energy level, up to the fourth order in the strength of the perturbing magnetic field. In the case of the ground state, we correct an expression for the fourth-order correction to energy available in the literature.

/pdf/two-dimensional-hydrogen-like-atom-in-a-weak-magnetic-field-4joea8h58h.pdf

Two-dimensional hydrogen-like atom in a weak magnetic field

The $He^+$ ion on a plane subject to a constant magnetic field $B$ perpendicular to the plane is considered taking into account the finite nuclear mass. Factorization of eigenfunctions permits to reduce the four-dimensional problem to three-dimensional one. The ground state energy of the composite system is calculated in a wide range of magnetic fields from $B=0.01$ up to $B=100$ a.u. and center-of-mass Pseudomomentum $K$ from $0$ to $1000$ a.u. using a variational approach. The accuracy of calculations for $B = 0.1 $ a.u. is cross-checked in Lagrange-mesh method and not less than five significant figures are reproduced in energy. Similarly to the case of moving neutral system on the plane a phenomenon of a sharp change of energy behavior as a function of $K$ for a certain critical $K_c$ but a fixed magnetic field occurs.

M.A. Escobar-Ruiz

Papers

Two charges on a plane in a magnetic field: II. Moving neutral quantum system across a magnetic field

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field I. “Quasi-equal” charges and neutral quantum system at rest cases

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field I. "Quasi-equal" charges and neutral quantum system at rest cases

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field: III. $He^+$ ion

Two charges on plane in a magnetic field: III. He+ ion