Exactly Solvable Potentials Derived from SWKB Quantization

Abstract

The shape invariant potentials are proved to be exactly solvable, i.e. the wave functions and energies of a particle moving under the influence of the shape invariant potentials can be algebraically determined without any approximations. It is well known that the SWKB quantization is exact for all shape invariant potentials though the SWKB quantization itself is approximate. This mystery has not been mathematically resolved yet and may not be solved in a concrete fashion even in the future. Therefore, in the present work, to understand (not prove) the mystery an attempt of deriving exactly solvable potentials directly from the SWKB quantization has been made. And it turns out that all the derived potentials are shape invariant. It implicitly explains why the SWKB quantization is exact for all known shape invariant potentials. Though any new potential has not been found in this study, this brute-force derivation of potentials helps one understand the characteristics of shape invariant potentials.