Some new variable-step methods with minimal phase lag for the numerical integration of special second-order initial-value problem (Q1336044)

Two new variable step methods with minimal phase lag are developed for the numerical integration of the second-order initial value problem \(y'' = f(x,y)\), \(y(x_ 0) = y_ 0\), \(y'(x_ 0) = y_ 0'\). The first method is a two-step, sixth-order method with phase lag of order eight and an interval of periodicity equal to (0,26), and the second method with phase lag of order ten. A new error estimate based on the phase lag is also introduced. An application of the variable step methods to the Schrödinger equation on the phase-shift problem is given in this paper, and indicates that these new methods are generally more accurate than previously developed finite difference methods.