A family of four-step exponential fitted methods for the numerical integration of the radial Schrödinger equation (Q1334699)

The authors present a new family of four-step exponentially fitted methods for solving numerically the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation. The formula developed contains free parameters which allows it to be fitted automatically to exponential functions. It appears that the new methods in all considered cases have an interval of periodicity, and in certain case the methods are \(P\)-stable , i.e. the interval of periodicity is \((0,\infty)\). The numerical experiments, carried out by the authors on the so-called resonance problem, show the performance of the new methods: the methods are much more accurate than other exponentially fitted methods. This conclusion also applies to the four-step methods of the first author [IMA J. Numer. Anal. 11, No. 3, 347-356 (1991; Zbl 0728.65067)] which are known in literature as the most accurate four-step methods for solving the resonance problem of the radial Schrödinger equation.