Convergence of a finite volume scheme to the eigenvalues of a Schrödinger operator
Authors
- Koprucki, Thomas
ORCID: 0000-0001-6235-9412 - Eymard, Robert
- Fuhrmann, Jürgen
ORCID: 0000-0003-4432-2434
2010 Mathematics Subject Classification
- 65N25 65N30 81Q10
Keywords
- Schrödinger operator, eigenvalues, finite volume schemes.
DOI
Abstract
We consider the approximation of a Schrödinger eigenvalue problem arising from the modeling of semiconductor nanostructures by a finite volume method in a bounded domain $OmegasubsetR^d$. In order to prove its convergence, a framework for finite dimensional approximations to inner products in the Sobolev space $H^1_0(Omega)$ is introduced which allows to apply well known results from spectral approximation theory. This approach is used to obtain convergence results for a classical finite volume scheme for isotropic problems based on two point fluxes, and for a finite volume scheme for anisotropic problems based on the consistent reconstruction of nodal fluxes. In both cases, for two- and three-dimensional domains we are able to prove first order convergence of the eigenvalues if the corresponding eigenfunctions belong to $H^2(Omega)$. The construction of admissible meshes for finite volume schemes using the Delaunay-Voronoï method is discussed. As numerical examples, a number of one-, two- and three-dimensional problems relevant to the modeling of semiconductor nanostructures is presented. In order to obtain analytical eigenvalues for these problems, a matching approach is used. To these eigenvalues, and to recently published highly accurate eigenvalues for the Laplacian in the L-shape domain, the results of the implemented numerical method are compared. In general, for piecewise $H^2$ regular eigenfunctions, second order convergence is observed experimentally.
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