Two charges on a plane in a magnetic field: hidden algebra, (particular) integrability, polynomial eigenfunctions

preprint2013arXivOpen access

Abstract

The quantum mechanics of two Coulomb charges on a plane (e1,m1)(e_1, m_1) and (e2,m2)(e_2, m_2) subject to a constant magnetic field BB perpendicular to the plane is considered. Four integrals of motion are explicitly indicated. It is shown that for two physically-important particular cases, namely that of two particles of equal Larmor frequencies, ec∝e1m1−e2m2=0{e_c} \propto \frac{e_1}{m_1}-\frac{e_2}{m_2}=0 (e.g. two electrons) and one of a neutral system (e.g. the electron - positron pair, Hydrogen atom) at rest (the center-of-mass momentum is zero) some outstanding properties occur. They are the most visible in double polar coordinates in CMS (R,ϕ)(R, ϕ) and relative (ρ,φ)(ρ, φ) coordinate systems: (i) eigenfunctions are factorizable, all factors except one with the explicit ρρ-dependence are found analytically, they have definite relative angular momentum, (ii) dynamics in ρρ-direction is the same for both systems, it corresponds to a funnel-type potential and it has hidden sl(2)sl(2) algebra; at some discrete values of dimensionless magnetic fields b≤1b \leq 1, (iii) particular integral(s) occur, (iv) the hidden sl(2)sl(2) algebra emerges in finite-dimensional representation, thus, the system becomes {\it quasi-exactly-solvable} and (v) a finite number of polynomial eigenfunctions in ρρ appear. Nine families of eigenfunctions are presented explicitly.

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