Energy eigenstate Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
An energy eigenstate is a quantum state represented by an eigenvector of the Quantum Hamiltonian. For a time-independent Quantum Hamiltonian, a normalized eigenfunction with energy eigenvalue evolves according to the Schrödinger equation as
Here is the reduced Planck constant. The changing factor is a global phase, so this is a stationary state: its position probability density is constant. For example, the second infinite square well mode has two density lobes separated by a node of a standing wave at ; both lobes stay fixed while its quantum phase rotates. An ideal energy measurement returns with probability one, but a position measurement still has a distribution. Stationary density does not describe a particle sitting at the peak of a lobe. Distinct energy eigenvalues accumulate different quantum phases, making their quantum superposition behave differently.