Mathematical Methods for Physicists

by G. Arfken Chapter 13: Special Functions

Reporters:

Hermite Functions
Generating functions - Hermite polynomial Recurrence relation Special values of Hermite polynomial Alternate representations Orthogonality Normalization Application

Generating Functions
g ( x, t ) = e t +2tx Define Take y = t 2 + 2tx n y expand ey =
2

tn = H n (x ) n! n =0

(1)

n!
n =0

We have

H 0 (x ) = 1

H1 ( x ) = 2 x

H 2 (x ) = 4 x 2 2

H 3 ( x ) = 8 x 2 12 x

H 5 ( x ) = 32 x5 160 x 3 + 120 x

H 4 ( x ) = 16 x 4 48 x 2 + 12

H 6 ( x ) = 64 x 6 480 x 4 + 720 x 2 120

Recurrence Relations (1/4)

H n+1 ( x ) = 2 xH n ( x ) + 2nH n1 ( x )
d t 2 + 2tx H n ( x ) n = t e n! dt n =0
t 2 + 2 tx

(2)

( 2tx + 2 x )e

H n ( x ) n H n ( x ) n1 ( 2tx + 2 x ) t t = ! n! n =0 n =0 (n 1)

H n ( x ) n1 = t ! n =0 (n 1)

H n ( x ) n H n ( x ) n1 H n ( x ) n+1 2 t t = t + 2 x ! n! n! n =0 n =0 n =1 (n 1)

Recurrence Relations (2/4)

The coefficient of t 2 xH 0 ( x ) = H1 ( x ) n The coefficient of t (n 0)
0

( ) ( ) ( ) 2 H n 1 x + 2 x H n x = 2 x H n + 1 x
n! n! 2 nH n 1 ( x ) + 2 xH n ( x ) = H n +1 ( x )

(n 1)!

Recurrence Relations (3/4)

( x ) = 2nH n 1 ( x ) (3) Hn Differentiate the generating function with respect to x H (x ) d

tn n! n =0 2 (x ) n Hn t + 2 tx t 2te = n! n =0 (x ) n H n (x ) n H n t = t 2t n! n! n =0 n =0 (x ) n H n ( x ) n +1 H n t = t 2 n! n! n =0 n =0
n

e dx

t 2 + 2 tx

Recurrence Relations (4/4)

n The coefficient of t

n=0 n>0

(x ) H0 (x ) = 0 = H0 0! (x ) H n 1 ( x ) H n 2 = (n 1)! n! ( x ) = 2 nH n 1 ( x ) Hn

Value at x = 0

g ( x, t ) = e e t

t 2 + 2tx 2 2k t2 t4 t k + = 1 + = ( 1) 2! 1! 2! k! k =0 2 2

( t ) ( t ) = 1+ +
1!

2k n t t k ( 1) = H n ( x ) n! k! n=0 k =0 ! k (2k ) n = 2k : H 2k (0) = ( 1) k! n = 2k + 1 : H 2k +1 (0) = 0

Parity Relation

H n ( x ) = ( 1) H n ( x )
k

Expand the generating function We have H0 ( x) =1

H1( x) = 2x = (1) H1(x)
1

H2 ( x) = 4( x) 2 = (1) H2 (x)
2 2

H3 (x) = 8( x) 12( x) = (1) H3 (x)

2 3

H4 (x) = 16( x) 48( x) +12 = (1) H4 (x)

4 2 4

( x) +120( x) = (1) H5 (x) H5 (x) = 32( x) 160

5 3 5

( x) + 720( x) 120= (1) H6 (x) H6 (x) = 64( x) 480

6 4 2 6