The Factorization Method
Abstract
The factorization method is an operational procedure which enables us to answer, in a direct manner, questions about eigenvalue problems which are of importance to physicists. The underlying idea is to consider a pair of first-order differential-difference equations which are equivalent to a given second-order differential equation with boundary conditions. For a large class of such differential equations the method enables us to find immediately the eigenvalues and a manufacturing process for the normalized eigenfunctions. These results are obtained merely by consulting a table of the six possible factorization types. The manufacturing process is also used for the calculation of transition probabilities. The method is generalized so that it will handle perturbation problems.
- Publication:
-
Reviews of Modern Physics
- Pub Date:
- January 1951
- DOI:
- 10.1103/RevModPhys.23.21
- Bibcode:
- 1951RvMP...23...21I