Published February 2004 | Version v1
Journal article

The Landau electron problem on a cylinder

Description

We consider the quantum mechanics of an electron confined to move on an infinite cylinder in the presence of a uniform radial magnetic field. This problem is in certain ways very similar to the corresponding problem on the infinite plane. Unlike the plane however the group of symmetries of the magnetic field, namely, rotations about the axis and the axial translations, is not realized by the quantum electron but only a subgroup comprising rotations and discrete translations along the axial direction, is. The basic step size of discrete translations is such that the flux through the 'unit cylinder cell' is quantized in units of the flux quantum. The result is derived in two different ways: using the condition of projective realization of symmetry groups and using the more familiar approach of determining the symmetries of a given Hamiltonian

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.aop.2003.08.016;
arXiv
arXiv:math-ph/0305041v2;
PII
S0003491603002215;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Annals of Physics (New York)
Journal Volume
309
Journal Issue
2
Journal Page Range
p. 421-441
ISSN
0003-4916
CODEN
APNYA6

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
35037914
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
ELECTRONS; HAMILTONIANS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; QUANTUM MECHANICS; SYMMETRY
Descriptors DEC
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; FERMIONS; LEPTONS; MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS; MECHANICS; QUANTUM OPERATORS

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.