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Since $P{\psi }_n=n\hslash {\psi }_n$, applying the Hamiltonian operator givesThus the energy eigenvalues and corresponding full stationary states areThe ground state is ${\psi }_0$ with energy zero and quantum degeneracy one. For each $n=1,2,\dots$, the positive energy level $n^2{\hslash }^2/(2m)$ has quantum degeneracy two: its energy eigenspace is $\mathrm{span}\{{\psi }_n,{\psi }_{-n}\}$. This is the free particle spectrum on a circle.

For a free particle, the Hamiltonian operator is $H=P^2/(2m)$, where $P=-i\hslash d/dx$ is the momentum operator. The time-independent Schrödinger equation is thereforeThe full stationary state is $\Psi (x,t)=e^{-iEt/\hslash }\psi (x)$. The periodic boundary condition identifies $x$ and $x+2\pi$, giving a particle on a circle with wavefunction normalization over one period.

In the ordered orthonormal basis $({\psi }_1,{\psi }_2)$, the Hamiltonian operator has matrixwhere ${\sigma }_1$ is a Pauli matrix. Its symmetric and antisymmetric eigenvectors giveThe energy eigenstates ${\chi }_{\pm }$ are normalized and orthogonal; each energy eigenvalue is nondegenerate. Their full stationary states are $e^{-i\omega t}{\chi }_{+}$ and $e^{i\omega t}{\chi }_{-}$. Since they form an orthonormal basis, the general solution to the Time-dependent Schrödinger equation isFor a normalized quantum state, $|c_{+}{|}^2+|c_{-}{|}^2=1$; the constants are determined by its initial inner products with ${\chi }_{\pm }$.

A stationary state has $\Psi (t,x)=e^{-iEt/\hslash }\psi (x)$. Substitution into the Schrödinger equation gives the energy eigenvalue equationThe trial wavefunction $C{e}^{ikx}$ satisfies it with $E={\hslash }^2{k}^2/(2m)$. The periodic boundary condition requires $e^{2\pi ikR}=1$, hence $k=n/R$, $n\in \mathbb{Z}$. The wavefunction normalization is $1=2\pi R|C{|}^2$, so a convenient common global phase gives the orthonormal basisIndeed, ${\int }_0^{2\pi R}{\varphi }_n^{\ast }{\varphi }_{q}dx={\delta }_{nq}$. This is the free particle spectrum on a circle. The ground state ${\varphi }_0$ has energy zero and is nondegenerate. Each positive energy level ${\hslash }^2{n}^2/(2m{R}^2)$, $n=1,2,\dots$, has energy eigenspace $\mathrm{span}\{{\varphi }_n,{\varphi }_{-n}\}$ and quantum degeneracy two. Real sine and cosine combinations give another basis of the same energy eigenspace.

Write $\alpha =m\omega /\hslash$. The first Hermite polynomials give ${\psi }_{0,0}\propto e^{-\alpha (x_1^2+x_2^2)/2}$ and ${\psi }_{1,0},{\psi }_{0,1}$ proportional, with the same constant, to $x_1{e}^{-\alpha (x_1^2+x_2^2)/2}$ and $x_2{e}^{-\alpha (x_1^2+x_2^2)/2}$. Thus in Cartesian coordinates the new wavefunctions areUsing polar coordinates $x_1=r\cos \phi$, $x_2=r\sin \phi$ givesThe orbital angular momentum is $L_3=-i\hslash {\partial }_{\phi }$, which immediately verifies its eigenvalues $0,\pm \hslash$. Multiplying these spatial wavefunctions by $e^{-i\omega t}$ for ${\chi }_0$ and $e^{-2i\omega t}$ for ${\chi }_{\pm }$ gives the corresponding full stationary states.

The Hamiltonian operator $H=\omega J_3$ is already diagonal in the angular momentum eigenstate basis of part (b). Its three distinct energy eigenvalues and stationary states areThus the three column eigenvectors are $(1,0,0{)}^{\mathsf{T}}$, $(0,1,0{)}^{\mathsf{T}}$ and $(0,0,1{)}^{\mathsf{T}}$, with energies $+\hslash \omega$, zero and $-\hslash \omega$, respectively. Each is nondegenerate since $\omega >0$. Any nonzero scalar multiple gives the same stationary state after normalization; a quantum superposition of different energies is generally not stationary.

Replacing $L$ by the angular momentum operator gives the Hamiltonian operatorThe time-dependent Schrödinger equation is thereforeFor a stationary state, separate variables as $\Psi (\varphi ,t)=\psi (\varphi )T(t)$. Dividing by the product separates a function of $t$ from one of $\varphi$:Thus $T=e^{-iEt/\hslash }$ up to a constant, and the time-independent Schrödinger equation is $-{\hslash }^2{\psi }^{\prime \prime }/(2I)=E\psi$.

Diagonalize the commuting angular momentum operator at the same time: $-i\hslash {\psi }^{\prime }=\ell \psi$ has solutions $A{e}^{i\ell \varphi /\hslash }$. A single-valued wavefunction requires $e^{2\pi i\ell /\hslash }=1$, hence $\ell =n\hslash$ with $n\in \mathbb{Z}$. Normalizing with the angular probability measure $d\varphi$ givesThese form an orthonormal basis under ${\int }_0^{2\pi }{\psi }_m^{\ast }{\psi }_{n}d\varphi ={\delta }_{mn}$. The periodic boundary conditions apply to both the wavefunction and its first derivative, ensuring the physical self-adjoint Hamiltonian operator. For probability per arc length $ds=rd\varphi$, the normalization instead reads ${\psi }_n=e^{in\varphi }/\sqrt{2\pi r}$; the two conventions describe the same probabilities. General states are superpositions of these energy eigenstates.

An energy and orbital angular momentum eigenstate for a real two-dimensional central potential can be chosen with integer $k$ and real radial function $f$. Its radial equation isQuantum degeneracy permits other stationary states, including $f(r)\cos (k\varphi )/\sqrt{\pi }$, which are not single angular exponentials. Separation of variables supplies a basis rather than describing every superposition in a degenerate eigenspace.