- Langer correction
The Langer correction is a correction when
WKB approximation method is applied to three-dimensional problems with spherical symmetry.When applying WKB approximation method to the radial
Schrödinger equation :where the effective potential is given by:the eigenenergies and the wave function behaviour obtained are different from real solution.In
1937 , R.E. Langer suggested a correction:which is known as Langer correction. This is equivalent to inserting a 1/4 constant factor whenever l(l+1) appears. Heuristically, it is said that this factor arises because the range of the radial Schrödinger equation is restricted from 0 to infinity, as opposed to the entire real line.
By such a changing of constant term in the effective potential, the results obtained by
WKB approximation reproduces the exact spectrum for many potentials.
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