Jun 1, 1999

Motion of vortex lines in quantum mechanics

Iwo Bialynicki-Birula, Zofia Bialynicka-Birula and Cezary Śliwa

Exact analytic solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation are produced that exhibit a variety of vortex structures. The qualitative analysis of the motion of vortex lines is presented and various types of vortex behavior are identified. Vortex creation and annihilation and vortex interactions are illustrated in the special cases of the free motion, the motion in the harmonic potential, and in the constant magnetic field. Similar analysis of the vortex motions is carried out also for a relativistic wave equation.

Phys. Rev. A 61, 032110 (2000)