We consider the quantum mechanical description of electrons that are confined to D-dimensional spheres. In the physically interesting cases of a ring (D = 1), a normal sphere (D = 2) and a glome (D = 3), we show that accurate wave functions and energies can be obtained when the electron density (i.e. the ratio of the number of electrons to the volume of the sphere) is high or low. Intermediate densities are more difficult but smooth interpolations appear to yield satisfactory results.

Peter Gill graduated from the University of Auckland with a MSc (Hons) and received his PhD from the Australian National University. He has since held positions at Camegie-Mellon University (1988-1993), Massey University (1993-1996), University of Cambridge (1996-1999) and the University of Nottingham (1999-2004) before being appointed Professor at the Research School of Chemistry. He has been awarded the Dirac Medal (1999), the Pople Medal (2005), and the Schrödinger Medal (2011) and the Fukui Medal (2013).

Theoretical Physics @ANU is a new cross-campus seminar series to cover recent important developments in the area.

Convenors: Vladimir Bazhanov & Anatoli Kheifets (RSPE)

Advisory Board:  Geoff Bicknell (RSAA), Denis Evans (RSPE), Peter Gill (RSC), Andy Hogg (RSES), Stephen Hyde (RSPE), Cedric Simenel (RSPE), Susan Scott (RSPE), Andrei Sukhorukov (RSPE), Bai-Ling (Brian) Wang (MSI)