Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-quantum-theory-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/1/a/ii/solution

A stationary state has . Substitution into the Schrödinger equation gives the energy eigenvalue equation
The trial wavefunction satisfies it with . The periodic boundary condition requires , hence , . The wavefunction normalization is , so a convenient common global phase gives the orthonormal basis
Indeed, . This is the free particle spectrum on a circle. The ground state has energy zero and is nondegenerate. Each positive energy level , , has energy eigenspace and quantum degeneracy two. Real sine and cosine combinations give another basis of the same energy eigenspace.

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