Past exam of the advanced quantum physics course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Section B / 4 / c / Solution

For the magnetic flux spectrum of a quantum ring, the periodic boundary condition permits the normalized plane waves $L^{-1/2}{e}^{2\pi inx/L}$, with $n\in \mathbb{Z}$. Their energy eigenvalues areShifting $\alpha$ by an integer relabels $n$, so the ordered energy levels have period one in $\alpha$, or $2\pi \hslash /L$ in $a$. For $-1/2\le \alpha \le 1/2$, the lowest two areextended periodically. The lowest branches cross at every half-integer $\alpha$, with energy $E_L/4$. At integer $\alpha$, the first excited energy level has multiplicity two. The corresponding magnetic flux period is the electron magnetic flux quantum $h/e$.