CONTRACTION OF THE FINITE ONE-DIMENSIONAL OSCILLATOR

Abstract

The finite oscillator model of 2j + 1 points has the dynamical algebra u(2), consisting of position, momentum and mode number. It is a paradigm of finite quantum mechanics where a sequence of finite unitary models contract to the well-known continuum theory. We examine its contraction as the number and density of points increase. This is done on the level of the dynamical algebra, of the Schrödinger difference equation, the (Kravchuk) wave functions, and the Fourier–Kravchuk transformation between position and momentum representations.