Particle on a cylinder with harmonic oscillator along z-axis

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors for a spin-less particle confined to move on the surface of a cylinder with a harmonic potential. The speaker suggests separating the Hamiltonian into two parts and using eigenfunctions to find the eigenvalues. They also discuss a perturbation and its effect on the fundamental level. In response, the other person clarifies the notation and confirms the correctness of the eigenvalues. They also mention the correct form for the total Hamiltonian eigenvectors.
  • #1
Salmone
101
13
I need to know if I have solved the following problem well:

A spin-less particle of mass m is confined to move on the surface of a cylinder of infinite height with a harmonic potential on the z-axis and Hamiltonian ##H=\frac{p_z^2}{2m}+\frac{L_z^2}{2mR^2}+\frac{1}{2}m\omega^2z^2## and I need to calculate its eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
I thought of separating the Hamiltonian as it is written in the text, and find the Hamiltonian of a particle on a ring and a harmonic oscillator along the z-axis with eigenfunctions of the type ##|\psi\rangle=|m\rangle|n\rangle## where ##m## are the eigenvalues of ##L_z## equal to ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}}e^{im\phi}## and ##n## are the eigenvalues of the harmonic oscillator. For the eigenvalues I had thought they were ##E=\frac{n^2\hbar^2}{2mR^2}+\hbar\omega(n+1/2)##. Is this right?
Also, if I had a perturbation like ##\epsilon cos(\phi)## to calculate on the fundamental level I could say by eye that its effect is zero since in the fundamental level there is no angular momentum?
 
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  • #2
You have to write ##\mu## for the mass to distnguish if from the eigenvalue of ##\hat{L}_z##, ##m \hbar##. Then ##E_{mn}=m^2\hbar^2/(2\mu R^2)+\hbar \omega (n+1/2)##, where ##m \in \mathbb{Z}##, ##n \in \mathbb{N}_0##.
 
  • #3
Thank you @vanhees71 for the answer, so the eigenvalues are correct, what about the total Hamiltonian eigenvectors? Are they correct? And the perturbation?
 

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