1 problem found
For \(n=0,1,2,\ldots,\) the functions \(y_{n}\) satisfy the differential equation \[ \frac{\mathrm{d}^{2}y_{n}}{\mathrm{d}x^{2}}-\omega^{2}x^{2}y_{n}=-(2n+1)\omega y_{n}, \] where \(\omega\) is a positive constant, and \(y_{n}\rightarrow0\) and \(\mathrm{d}y_{n}/\mathrm{d}x\rightarrow0\) as \(x\rightarrow+\infty\) and as \(x\rightarrow-\infty.\) Verify that these conditions are satisfied, for \(n=0\) and \(n=1,\) by \[ y_{0}(x)=\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda x^{2}}\qquad\mbox{ and }\qquad y_{1}(x)=x\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda x^{2}} \] for some constant \(\lambda,\) to be determined. Show that \[ \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\left(y_{m}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{n}}{\mathrm{d}x}-y_{n}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{m}}{\mathrm{d}x}\right)=2(m-n)\omega y_{m}y_{n}, \] and deduce that, if \(m\neq n,\) \[ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}y_{m}(x)y_{n}(x)\,\mathrm{d}x=0. \]
Solution: \begin{align*} && y_0(x) &= e^{-\lambda x^2} \\ && \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} y_0(x) &= 0 \Leftrightarrow \lambda > 0 \\ && \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} y'_0(x) &= \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} 2x\lambda e^{-\lambda x^2} \\ &&&= 0\Leftrightarrow \lambda > 0 \\ && y''_0(x) &= 4x^2 \lambda^2 e^{-\lambda x^2} + 2\lambda e^{-\lambda x^2} \\ \\ && y''_0 - \omega^2 x^2 y_0+(2\cdot 0 + 1) \omega y_0 &= e^{-\lambda x^2} \l 4x^2 \lambda^2 + 2 \lambda - \omega^2 x^2 + \omega\r \\ &&&=0 \Leftrightarrow \lambda = \pm \frac{\omega}{2} \end{align*} Therefore \(y_0\) satisfies if \(\lambda = \frac{\omega}{2}\) Similarly for \(y_1\), \begin{align*} && y_1(x) &= xe^{-\lambda x^2} \\ && \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} y_1(x) &= 0 \Leftrightarrow \lambda > 0 \\ && \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} y'_1(x) &= \lim_{x \to \pm \infty} \l -2x^2 \lambda e^{-\lambda x^2} + e^{-\lambda x^2} \r \\ &&&= 0\Leftrightarrow \lambda > 0 \\ && y''_0(x) &= e^{-\lambda x^2} \l 4x^3 \lambda^2-4x\lambda - 2x\lambda \r \\ &&&= e^{-\lambda x^2} \l 4x^3 \lambda^2-6x\lambda \r \\ && y''_1 - \omega^2 x^2 y_1+(2\cdot 1 + 1) \omega y_1 &= e^{-\lambda x^2} \l 4x^3\lambda^2-6x\lambda-\omega^2x^3+3\omega x\r \\ &&&=0 \Leftrightarrow \lambda = \pm \frac{\omega}{2} \end{align*} Therefore \(y_1\) satisfies if \(\lambda = \frac{\omega}{2}\) \begin{align*} \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\left(y_{m}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{n}}{\mathrm{d}x}-y_{n}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{m}}{\mathrm{d}x}\right) &= y'_my'_n+y_my''_n - y'_ny'_m-y_ny''_m \\ &= y_my''_n - y_ny''_m \\ &= y_m(\omega^2 x^2 y_n - (2n+1)\omega y_n) - y_n(\omega^2 x^2 y_m - (2m+1)\omega y_m) \\ &= y_my_n (2m-2n)\omega \\ &= 2(m-n) \omega y_my_n \end{align*} Therefore: \begin{align*} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} y_m(x)y_n(x) \d x &= \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{1}{2(m-n)} \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\left(y_{m}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{n}}{\mathrm{d}x}-y_{n}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{m}}{\mathrm{d}x}\right) \d x \\ &= \frac{1}{2(m-n)} \left [ y_{m}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{n}}{\mathrm{d}x}-y_{n}\frac{\mathrm{d}y_{m}}{\mathrm{d}x}\right]_{-\infty}^{\infty} \\ &\to 0 \end{align*} This condition is known as Orthogonality. In fact this question is talking about a Sturm-Liouville orthogonality condition, in particular for the quantum harmonic oscillator, and the eigenfunctions are related to Hermite polynomials.