2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Two-Dimensional Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

in ch5, Schrödinger constructed the coherent state of the 1D H.O. to
describe a classical particle with a wave packet whose center in the
time evolution follows the corresponding classical motion

the H.O. plays a significant role in demonstrating the concept of

quantum-classical correspondence ∵ it can be analytically solved in
both CM & QM

the Schrödinger coherent state of the 2D H.O. is a nonspreading wave

packet with its center moving along the classical trajectories

we will start from the time-dep. Schrödinger coherent state for 2D H.O.
to extract the stationary coherent states that are localized on the
corresponding classical trajectories

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Eigenstates of the 2D Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator

the Hamiltonian for the isotropic 2D H.O. in Cartesian coordinate：
p x2 + p 2y 1
H= + mω 2 ( x 2 + y 2 )
2m 2
the time-indep Schrödinger eq. is：
⎡ h2 ⎛ ∂ 2 ∂2 ⎞ 1 2 ⎤
− ⎜ +
⎢ 2m ∂ x 2 ∂ y 2 ⎟ + mω 2
( x 2
+ y )⎥ψ ( x, y ) = E ψ ( x, y )
⎣ ⎝ ⎠ 2 ⎦

ψ ( x, y ) is separable： ψ ( x, y ) = Χ( x )Υ ( y )

1 ⎛ h2 d 2 1 2 2⎞ 1 ⎛ h2 d 2 1 2 2⎞
⎜− + mω x ⎟ + ⎜ − + mω y ⎟=E
→ Χ ( x ) ⎝ 2m d x 2 2 ⎠ Υ ( y ) ⎝ 2 m d y 2
2 ⎠

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Eigenstates of the 2D Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator

consequently, we have obtained 2 differential eq. for the 1D H.O.：

⎛ h2 d 2 1 2 2⎞
⎜ − 2
+ m ω x ⎟ Χ ( x ) = E x
Χ( x )
⎝ 2m d x 2 ⎠
⎛ h2 d 2 1 2 2⎞
⎜− 2
+ m ω y ⎟ Υ( y) = E y Υ( y)
⎝ 2m d y 2 ⎠

where E x + E y = E

the eigenfunction and the eigenvalue of the 2D isotropic H.O. are given
by ψ% m,n (ξ x , ξ y ) = ( 2n + m m !n ! ⋅π )
−1/ 2 − (ξ x2 +ξ y2 ) / 2
e H m (ξ x ) H n (ξ y )

E m ,n = (m + n + 1) hω

where ξ x = mω h x & ξ y = mω h y

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Eigenstates of the 2D Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator

the eigenvalues of the 2D H.O. are the sum of the two 1D oscillator
eigenenergies & the eigenfunctions are the product of two 1D
eigenfunctions

It can be found that the eigenstates in

ψ~m ,n (ξ x , ξ y ) = (2 n +m m ! n !⋅ π )
−1 / 2 − ( ξ x2 +ξ y2 ) / 2
e H m (ξ x ) H n (ξ y )

do not reveal the characteristics of classical elliptical trajectories even in

the correspondence limit of large quantum number

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Eigenstates of the 2D Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator

(0,0) (1,0) (0,1) (1,1)

(2,0) (0,2) (2,2) (5,5)

Figure 7.1 Probability density patterns of eigenstates for the 2D isotropic harmonic oscillator

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

It is clear that the center of the wave packet follows the motion of a classical 2D
isotropic harmonic oscillator, i.e.,

ξ x = 2α x cos(ω t − φx ) ; ξ y = 2α y cos(ω t − φ y )

The Schrödinger coherent state for the 2D isotropic harmonic oscillator is a

product of two infinite series. The method of the triangular partial sums is used
to make precise sense out of the product of two infinite series.

Mathematically, the notion of triangular partial sums is called the Cauchy product
of the double infinite series
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

With the representation of the Cauchy product, the terms can be arranged
diagonally by grouping together those terms for which has a fixed value:
iφ
∞ ∞ (α x eiφx ) m (α y e y ) n
Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ∑ ∑
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2
e ψ m,n (ξ x , ξ y ) e− i ( m+ n +1)ω t
n =0 m=0 m ! n !

iφ
∞ N (α x eiφx ) K (α y e y ) N − K
=∑ ∑
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2
e ψ K , N − K (ξ x , ξ y ) e −i ( N +1)ω t
N =0 K =0 K ! (N − K ) !

⎛ ∞ − (α 2 +α 2 ) / 2 −i ( N +1)ω t (α y eiφ y ) N
=⎜∑ e x y e
⎜ N =0 N !
⎝
N
N ! ⎡ α x i (φx −φy ) ⎤
K
⎞
×∑ ⎢ e ⎥ ψ K , N − K (ξ x , ξ y ) ⎟
K =0 K ! ( N − K ) ! ⎢⎣ α y ⎥⎦ ⎟
⎠
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

After some algebra,

Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) =
∞

∑C N Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) e − i ( N +1) ω t
CN = e
−(α x2 +α y2 ) / 2 ( 1+ A 2
αy e
iφ y
) N

N =0 N!

1 N
⎛N⎞
1/ 2
αx
Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) = ∑⎜ ⎟ ( Ae iφ ) K ψ~K , N − K (ξ x , ξ y ) A= , φ = φx − φ y
( 1+ A ) 2
N
K =0 ⎝ K ⎠ αy

The wave function above represents a type of normalized stationary coherent

state.
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

A=1, φ = π /4 A=1, φ = π /3 A=1, φ = π /2

A=0.5, φ = π /2 A=1.5, φ = π /2 A=2.5, φ = π /2

Figure 7.2 Wave patterns of the stationary coherent states Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )

2

for N=32 with different values of the parameters A and ψ.

2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

It can be seen that the coherent states Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) correspond to the

elliptic stationary states.

The superposition of two elliptic states with a phase factor ψ in the

opposite sign can form a standing wave pattern:

Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) ± Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A,−φ )

Next figure shows the standing wave patterns corresponding to the elliptic
states shown in figure above.
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

A=1, φ = π /4 A=1, φ = π /3 A=1, φ = π /2

A=0.5, φ = π /2 A=1.5, φ = π /2 A=2.5, φ = π /2

Figure 7.3 Standing wave patterns corresponding to the elliptic states shown in figure 7.2.
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Stationary Coherent States of the 2D Isotropic H.O.

∞
Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ∑C
N =0
N Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) e −i ( N +1) ω t manifestly reveals the relationship
between the Schrödinger coherent state and the stationary coherent state.
2
CN represents the probability of finding the system in the elliptic stationary
state with order N.

(α x2 + α y2 ) N −(α x2 +α 2y )
=
2
CN e
N!

The probability distribution is identical to the Poisson distribution with the

mean value of < N >= α x2 + α y2
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

angular momentum of a classical particle is a vector quantity, L = r × p

Angular momentum is the property of a system that describes the tendency

of an object spinning about the point r = 0 to remain spinning, classically.

For the motion of a classical 2D isotropic harmonic oscillator, the angular

momentum about the z-axis can be found to be independent of time:

⎧ h ⎧ p (t ) = m d x (t ) = − mω h 2 | α | sin(ω t − φ )
⎪⎪ x ( t ) = 2 | α x | cos(ω t − φ x ) ⎪⎪ x
mω
x x
dt
⎨ ⎨
⎪ y (t ) = h 2 | α | cos(ω t − φ ) ⎪ p y (t ) = m d y (t ) = − mω h 2 | α y | sin(ω t − φ y )
⎪⎩ mω
y y
⎪⎩ dt

x (t ) p y (t ) − y (t ) p x (t ) = − 2 h | α x | | α y | sin(φx − φ y )
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

In quantum mechanics, the angular momentum is associated with the

operator L̂ , that is defined as Lˆ = rˆ × pˆ

For 2D motion the angular momentum operator about the z-axis is

Lˆ z = xˆ pˆ y − yˆ pˆ x

The expectation value of the angular momentum for the stationary coherent
state and time-dependent wave packet state which are shown below :

1/ 2
1 N
⎛N⎞
Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) = ∑ ⎜ ⎟ ( Ae iφ ) K ψ~K , N − K (ξ x , ξ y )
( 1+ A ) 2
N
K =0 ⎝ K ⎠

∞
Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ∑
N =0
C N Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) e −i ( N +1) ω t
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

The position and momentum operators for the harmonic oscillator can be in
terms of the creation and annihilation operators.

Lˆz = x? p y − y? px

⎡( a?x ? + ax ) ( a? − a y ) − ( a?y ? + a y ) ( a? − ax ) ⎤⎦
1
=i h
2⎣
y x

=i h ( a? a
x y
?
− a?x a y )
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

The properties of the creation and annihilation operators :

aˆ x aˆ y Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )
†

1/ 2
⎛N⎞
K N − K + 1( Aeiφ ) ψ~K −1,N − K +1 (ξ x , ξ y )
N
1
∑
K
= ⎜ ⎟
(1 + A2 ) N / 2 K =1 ⎝ K ⎠

aˆ y aˆ x Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )
†

N −1 1/ 2
⎛N⎞
K + 1 N − K ( Aeiφ ) ψ~K +1,N − K −1 (ξ x , ξ y )
1
∑
K
= ⎜ ⎟
(1 + A2 ) N / 2 K =0 ⎝ K ⎠
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

With the orthonormal property of the eignestates :

Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A,φ ) | aˆ x aˆ y | Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A,φ )
†

1/ 2 1/ 2
1 N
⎛ N ⎞ ⎛N⎞
=
(1 + A2 ) N
∑ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
K = 1 ⎝ K − 1⎠ ⎝K⎠
K N − K + 1 A2 K −1eiφ

⎛N⎞
(Aeiφ )
N
1
=
(1 + A2 ) N
∑
K =1
⎜ ⎟K A
⎝K⎠
2 ( K −1)

Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) | aˆ x aˆ y | Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )
†

N −1 1/ 2 1/ 2
1 ⎛ N ⎞ ⎛N⎞
=
(1 + A2 ) N
∑ ⎜ ⎟
K = 0 ⎝ K + 1⎠
⎜ ⎟
⎝K⎠
K + 1 N − K A2 K +1e −iφ

⎛N ⎞
(Ae −iφ )
N
1
=
(1 + A2 ) N
∑
K =1
⎜ ⎟K A
⎝K⎠
2 ( K −1)
2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Angular Momentum in 2D Confined Systems

Using the property

∂ ∂ N
⎛N⎞ K N
⎛N⎞
∂x
(1 + x )N =
∂x
∑
K =0
⎜ ⎟x
⎝K⎠
⇒ N (1 + x )
N −1
= ∑ ⎜ ⎟ K x K −1
K =1 ⎝ K ⎠

1 N
⎛N⎞ N
We can obtain
(1 + A2 ) N
∑
K =1
⎜ ⎟K A
⎝K⎠
2 ( K −1)
=
(1 + A2 )
and

Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) | Lˆz | Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )

= Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) | ih ( a?x a y ? − a?x a y ) | Φ N (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )
⎛N⎞
ih
( )
N
A
=
(1 + A2 ) N
∑ ⎜ ⎟ K A 2( K −1)
Ae iφ
− Ae − iφ
= −2 N h
+ 2
sin φ
K =1 ⎝ ⎠
K 1 A
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

The time-independent Schrödinger equation for a 2D harmonic oscillator

with commensurate frequencies can generally given by

⎡ h2 ⎛ ∂ 2 ∂2 ⎞ 1 2 2 ⎤
− ⎜ +
⎢ 2m ∂ x 2 ∂ y 2 ⎟ + m (ω 2 2
x x + ω y y ) ⎥ψ ( x , y ) = E ψ ( x , y )
⎣ ⎝ ⎠ 2 ⎦
ω x = qω ω y = pω

ω is the common factor of the frequencies by ω x and ω y , and p and q are relative prime integers
The eigenfunction and the eigenvalue of the 2D harmonic oscillator with
commensurate frequencies are given by

(ξ x , ξ y ) = (2 m !n !⋅ π )
−1 / 2 − (ξ x2 +ξ y2 ) / 2
ψ~ m,n
n+m
e H m (ξ x ) H n (ξ y )

Em ,n = ⎛⎜ m + ⎞⎟ hω x + ⎛⎜ n + ⎞⎟ hω y
1 1
ξ x = mω x h x ξ y = mω y h y
⎝ 2⎠ ⎝ 2⎠
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

The eigenfunction is separable, so the corresponding Schrödinger coherent

state can be expressed as the product of two 1D coherent states:

⎛ ∞ (α x e iφ x ) n −α 2 / 2 1 ⎞
Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ∑
⎜ e x
H m (ξ x )e −ξ x2 / 2 −i ( m +1 / 2 ) qω t ⎟
e
⎜ m=0 m! 2 m! π ⎟
⎝ ⎠
m

⎛ ∞ (α y e iφ y ) n −α y2 / 2 1 ⎞
× ∑
⎜ ⎟
−ξ y2 / 2 −i ( n +1 / 2 ) pω t
e H n (ξ y )e e
⎜ n =0 n! 2 n n! π ⎟
⎝ ⎠

iφ
∞ ∞ (α x e iφ x ) m (α y e y ) n
=∑ ∑
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2
e ψ~m ,n (ξ x , ξ y ) e −i ( qm + pn + q / 2+ p / 2 )ω t
n =0 m =0 m! n!
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

It is clear that the center of the wave packet follows the motion of a classical
2D isotropic harmonic oscillator, i.e.,
ξ x = 2α x cos(qω t − φ x ) ; ξ y = 2α y cos( pω t − φ y )

The set of states with indices (m, n) in last page can be divided into subsets
characterized by a pair of indices (u x , u y ) given by m ≡ u x (mod p ) and n ≡ u y (mod q )

Schrödinger coherent state can be rewritten as

⎛ q −1 p −1 ∞ ∞ (α x eiφx ) pN x +ux (α y e y )
iφ qN y + u y

Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ⎜ ∑ ∑∑∑
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2
e
⎜ u y =0 ( pN x + u x ) ! (qN y + u y ) !
⎝ ux =0 N y =0 N x =0

×ψ% pN x +ux ,qN y +u y (ξ x , ξ y ) e

− i[ pq ( N x + N y ) + q ( u x +1/ 2) + p ( u y +1/ 2)]ω t
)
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

The 2D Schrödinger coherent state is divided into a product of two infinite

series and two finite series
~
With the representation of the Cauchy product, the terms ψ pN +u ,qN x x y +u y
(ξ x , ξ y )

can be arranged diagonally by grouping together those terms for which

Nx + Ny = N :
iφ q ( N − K ) +u y
⎛ q −1 p −1 ∞ N (α x e iφ x ) pK +u x (α y e y )
Ψ (ξ x , ξ y , t ) = ⎜ ∑ ∑∑∑
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2
e
⎜ u =0 ( pK + u x ) ! [q( N − K ) + u y ]!
⎝ y u x =0 N =0 K =0

×ψ~ pK + u x , q ( N − K ) + u y (ξ x , ξ y ) e
−i[ pqN + q ( u x +1 / 2 ) + p ( u y +1 / 2 )]ω t
)
q −1 p −1 ∞

∑ ∑ ∑e
− (α x2 +α y2 ) / 2 iφ qN + u y −i[ pqN + q ( u x +1 / 2 ) + p ( u y +1 / 2 )]ω t
= (α x e iφ x ) u x (α y e y ) e
u y =0 u x =0 N =0

i ( pφ − qφ )
⎧⎪ N (α xp / α yq ) K [ e x y ] K ⎫⎪
× ⎨∑ ~
ψ pK +u x , q ( N − K ) +u y (ξ x , ξ y )⎬
⎪⎩K =0 ( pK + u x ) ! [q ( N − K ) + u y ]! ⎪⎭
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

These stationary coherent states are physically expected to be associated

with the Lissajous trajectories.

The minor indices ux and uy essentially do not affect the characteristics of

the stationary states.

Including the normalization condition, the stationary coherent states in

Cartesian coordinates are given by
−1 / 2
⎛ N A2 K ⎞
Φ N ,u x ,u y (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) = ∑
⎜ ⎟
⎜ K =0 ( pK ) ! ⋅ [q( N − K ) + u ]! ⎟
⎝ y ⎠
N
[ A e iφ ] K
×∑ ψ~ pK +u x , q ( N − K )+u y (ξ x , ξ y )
K = 0 ( pK ) ! [ q ( N − K ) + u y ]!

(α x ) p
A= , φ = pφ x − qφ y
(α y ) q
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

The stationary coherent states associated with the Lissajous trajectories are
the superposition of degenerate eigenstates with the relative amplitude
factor A and phase factor φ .

The relative amplitude factor A and phase factor φ in the stationary

coherent states Φ N ,u x ,u y (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ ) are explicitly related to the classical
variables (α x ,α y , φ x ,φ y )

the eigenenergies of the stationary coherent states Φ N ,u x ,u y (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )

are found to be

E N , u x , u y = [ pqN + q(u x + 1 / 2) + p(u y + 1 / 2)]hω

 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

Next three figures depict the comparison between the quantum wave
Φ N , 0, 0 (ξ x , ξ y ; A, φ )
2
patterns and the corresponding classical periodic
orbits for p : q to be 2 : 1 , 3 : 2 , and 4 : 3 , respectively.

Three different phase factors, φ = 0 , φ = 0.3π , and φ = 0.6 π , are displayed

in each figure.

The behavior of the quantum wave patterns in all cases can be found to be
in precise agreement with the classical Lissajous figures.
 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

(a) (b) (c)

(a’) (b’) (c’)

 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

(a) (b) (c)

(a’) (b’) (c’)

 2D Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Quantum Stationary Coherent States for Classical Lissajous Periodic Orbits

(a) (b) (c)

(a’) (b’) (c’)