Emergence of new category of continued fractions from the Sturm-Liouville problem and the Schrödinger equation (Q2054986)

Let there be given the Sturm--Liouville differential equation (SLE) of the form \[ \frac{d}{dx} \Big[p(x) \frac{dy}{dx}\Big] -q(x) y+\lambda r(x) y=0 \] where \(p(x)>0,\) \(q(x)\) and \(r(x)\) are known functions. Based on the well-known Euler method, the differential equation is approximated by the finite-difference method. A new category of continued fraction functions that emerges from the treatment of the SLE as a typical case of eigenvalue differential equation is presented in the paper. Properties for such continued fractions are analysed. An integral expression for the new category of continued fraction functions is presented. The numerical study of the quantum harmonic oscillator, based on the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation is carried out. The two-dimensional, time-independent Schrödinger equation is partially studied, too.