Time Dependent Schrödinger Wave Equation

𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕 2
iℏ Ψ(x, t) = − Ψ(x, t) + 𝑈(𝑥)Ψ(x, t)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2

For potential you may use 𝑉(𝑥) instead of 𝑈(𝑥)

Construction of Schrödinger Wave Equation (S.W.E):

We can construct S.W.E by using De-Broglie hypothesis and Plank’s Law i.e.

ℎ
𝜆= … (1)
𝑝

ℎ ℎ 2𝜋
⇒𝑝= =
𝜆 𝜆 2𝜋

2𝜋ℏ
=
𝜆

As

2𝜋
𝑘=
𝜆

So

𝑝 = ℏ𝑘 … (2)

As we are considering only one dimension so equation (2) can also be written as

𝑝𝑥 = ℏ𝑘

Or
𝑝𝑥
𝑘= … (3)
ℏ

Also
 2𝜋
𝐸 = ℎ𝑓 = ℎ𝑓
2𝜋

= ℏ(2𝜋𝑓)

⇒ 𝐸 = ℏ𝜔 … (4)

Or

𝐸
𝜔= … (5)
ℏ

In some text books symbol for frequency is used as 𝜈 instead of 𝑓

By supposing wave function i.e.

Ψ(x, t) = Aei(kx−𝜔𝑡)

Putting the values of k and 𝜔 from equations (3) and (5) in the above equation

𝑝𝑥 𝐸
Ψ(x, t) = Aei( ℏ x−ℏ 𝑡)

Ψ(x, t) = Aei(𝑝𝑥.x−𝐸𝑡)/ℏ … (6)

Energy and Momentum Operator

Differentiating equation (6) with respect to t

𝜕Ψ i(𝑝𝑥 .x−𝐸𝑡) 𝑖𝐸
= Ae ℏ (− )
𝜕𝑡 ℏ

𝜕Ψ 𝑖𝐸 𝑖𝐸 𝑖
= −Ψ = −Ψ
𝜕𝑡 ℏ ℏ𝑖

𝜕Ψ 𝐸
= Ψ
𝜕𝑡 𝑖ℏ
 𝜕Ψ
𝑖ℏ = EΨ
𝜕𝑡

𝜕
⇒ 𝐸 = 𝑖ℏ … (7)
𝜕𝑡

This is required energy operator.

Now differentiating equation (6) with respect to x

𝜕Ψ 𝑖𝑝𝑥
= Aei(𝑝𝑥.x−𝐸𝑡)/ℏ
𝜕𝑥 ℏ

𝜕Ψ 𝑖𝑝𝑥
=Ψ
𝜕𝑥 ℏ

𝜕Ψ
⇒ −𝑖ℏ = 𝑝𝑥 Ψ
𝜕𝑥

𝜕
⇒ 𝑝𝑥 = −𝑖ℏ … (8)
𝜕𝑥

By using law of conservation of energy i.e.

𝐸 = 𝐾. 𝐸 + 𝑃. 𝐸

1
̂ (𝑥 )
= 𝑚𝑣 2 + 𝑈
2

𝑝2
⇒𝐸= ̂(𝑥)
+𝑈
2𝑚

By putting the values of 𝐸 and 𝑝𝑥 from equations (7) and (8), we get

𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 1
𝑖ℏ = (−𝑖ℏ ) (−𝑖ℏ ) ̂(𝑥)
+𝑈
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 2𝑚

𝜕 𝑖 2 ℏ2 𝜕 2
𝑖ℏ = ̂(𝑥)
+𝑈
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2
 𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕 2
⇒ 𝑖ℏ =− ̂ (𝑥 )
+𝑈 … (9)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2

Equation (9) is said to be an operating equation.

By operating equation (9) on Ψ(x, t), we get

𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕 2
iℏ Ψ(x, t) = − ̂(𝑥 )Ψ(x, t)
Ψ(x, t) + 𝑈 … (10)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2

Which is required S.W.E in one dimension (1-D).

In 3-D S.W.E, we will use the Laplacian equation i.e.

𝜕 ℏ2 2
iℏ Ψ = − ∇ Ψ + 𝑈̂ Ψ … (11)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚

Where

2
𝜕2 𝜕2 𝜕2
∇ = 2+ 2+ 2
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

Solution of Schrödinger Wave Equation (S.W.E)

We can easily solve 1-D S.W.E by using separation of variables. According to 1-D

S.W.E

𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕 2
iℏ Ψ(x, t) = − ̂(𝑥 )Ψ(x, t)
Ψ(x, t) + 𝑈 … (1)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2

Suppose

Ψ(x, t) = 𝑓 (𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 ) … (2)

By putting in S.W.E
 𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕 2
iℏ (𝑓 ( 𝑡 ) 𝜙 ( 𝑥 ) ) = − ̂(𝑥 )(𝑓(𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 ))
(𝑓 (𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 )) + 𝑈
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥 2

𝜕 ℏ2 𝜕2
⇒ iℏ𝜙(𝑥 ) 𝑓 (𝑡) = − ̂(𝑥 )𝜙(𝑥 )
𝑓 (𝑡 ) 2 𝜙 (𝑥 ) + 𝑓 ( 𝑡 )𝑈
𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜕𝑥

Dividing both sides by 𝑓(𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 )

ℏ2
iℏ𝜙(𝑥) 𝜕 2𝑚 𝑓 (𝑡 ) 𝜕 2 𝑓 (𝑡 )
𝑓 (𝑡 ) = − 𝜙 ( 𝑥 ) + ̂(𝑥 )𝜙(𝑥 )
𝑈
𝑓(𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 ) 𝜕𝑡 𝑓 (𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 ) 𝜕𝑥 2 𝑓 (𝑡 )𝜙 (𝑥 )

iℏ 𝜕 ℏ2 1 𝜕 2 1
⇒ 𝑓 (𝑡 ) = − 𝜙 ( 𝑥 ) + ̂ (𝑥 )𝜙 (𝑥 )
𝑈 … (3)
𝑓(𝑡) 𝜕𝑡 2𝑚 𝜙(𝑥) 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )

The left side of equation (3) depends upon time t only and right side depends only

on position x

So we can equate both sides by a constant E (this constant equal’s total energy)

1 𝑑
iℏ 𝑓 (𝑡 ) = 𝐸 … (4)
𝑓 (𝑡) 𝑑𝑡

(Time part of S.W.E)

and

ℏ2 1 𝑑 2 1
− 𝜙 ( 𝑥 ) + ̂(𝑥 )𝜙(𝑥 ) = 𝐸
𝑈 … (5)
2𝑚 𝜙(𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )

(Position part of S.W.E)

Now we will solve these differential equations. First using equation (4)

1 𝑑𝑓(𝑡)
iℏ =𝐸
𝑓(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
 𝑑𝑓(𝑡)
⇒ iℏ = 𝐸𝑑𝑡
𝑓(𝑡)

𝑑𝑓(𝑡) 𝑖
⇒ = − 𝐸𝑑𝑡
𝑓(𝑡) ℏ

Integrate both sides

𝑑𝑓(𝑡) 𝑖
∫ = − 𝐸 ∫ 𝑑𝑡
𝑓(𝑡) ℏ

𝑖
⇒ ln 𝑓(𝑡) = − 𝐸𝑡 + ln 𝐶
ℏ
𝑖
⇒ ln 𝑓(𝑡) − ln 𝐶 = − 𝐸𝑡
ℏ

𝑓 (𝑡 ) 𝑖
ln = − 𝐸𝑡
𝐶 ℏ

𝑓 (𝑡 ) 𝑖
⇒ = exp [− 𝐸𝑡]
𝐶 ℏ

𝑖 𝑖
⇒ 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐶 exp [− 𝐸𝑡] = 𝐶 exp [− ℏ𝜔𝑡]
ℏ ℏ

⇒ 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐶𝑒𝑥𝑝[−𝑖𝜔𝑡] … (6)

Now using equation (5)

ℏ2 1 𝑑 2 1
− 𝜙 ( 𝑥 ) + ̂ (𝑥 )𝜙 (𝑥 ) = 𝐸
𝑈
2𝑚 𝜙(𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )

ℏ2 𝑑 2
− ̂(𝑥 )𝜙(𝑥 ) = 𝐸 𝜙(𝑥 )
𝜙 (𝑥 ) + 𝑈
2𝑚 𝑑𝑥 2

ℏ2 𝑑 2
− ̂ ) 𝜙 (𝑥 )
𝜙(𝑥 ) = (𝐸 − 𝑈
2𝑚 𝑑𝑥 2
 𝑑 2 𝜙 (𝑥 ) 2𝑚
⇒ = − ̂ ) 𝜙 (𝑥 )
(𝐸 − 𝑈 … (7)
𝑑𝑥 2 ℏ2

As

𝑝2
𝐸 =𝐾+𝑈 = +𝑈
2𝑚

𝑝2 ℏ2 𝑘 2
⇒𝐸−𝑈 = =
2𝑚 2𝑚

Putting in equation (7)

𝑑 2 𝜙 (𝑥 ) 2𝑚 ℏ2 𝑘 2
=− 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥 2 ℏ 2𝑚

𝑑 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )
⇒ 2
= −𝑘 2 𝜙(𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥

𝑑 2 𝜙 (𝑥 )
⇒ + 𝑘 2 𝜙 (𝑥 ) = 0
𝑑𝑥 2

This equation is 2nd order differential equation, so it’s auxiliary equation will be

(𝐷2 + 𝑘 2 )𝜙(𝑥 ) = 0

It means either 𝐷2 + 𝑘 2 = 0 or 𝜙(𝑥) = 0 but it is not possible, Therefore

𝐷2 + 𝑘 2 = 0

⇒ 𝐷2 = −𝑘 2

⇒ 𝐷 = ±𝑖𝑘

Thus we have

𝜙(𝑥 ) = 𝐹𝑒 𝑖𝑘𝑥 + 𝐺𝑒 −𝑖𝑘𝑥 … (8)

Again writing equation (2) i.e.

 Ψ(x, t) = 𝑓 (𝑡)𝜙(𝑥 )

By using equations (6) and (8) we can write

Ψ(x, t) = 𝐶𝑒𝑥𝑝[−𝑖𝜔𝑡](𝐹𝑒 𝑖𝑘𝑥 + 𝐺𝑒 −𝑖𝑘𝑥 )

or Ψ(x, t) = 𝐶𝑒 −𝑖𝜔𝑡 (𝐹𝑒 𝑖𝑘𝑥 + 𝐺𝑒 −𝑖𝑘𝑥 )

⇒ Ψ(x, t) = 𝐴𝑒 −𝑖𝜔𝑡+𝑖𝑘𝑥 + 𝐵𝑒 −𝑖𝜔𝑡−𝑖𝑘𝑥

⇒ Ψ(x, t) = 𝐴𝑒 𝑖(𝑘𝑥−𝜔𝑡) + 𝐵𝑒 −𝑖(𝑘𝑥+𝜔𝑡)

Which is required wave function and solution of S.W.E.