The Landau electron problem on a cylinder

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the quantum behavior of an electron on an infinite cylinder under a uniform magnetic field, revealing unique symmetry properties and flux quantization effects distinct from the planar case.

Contribution

It characterizes the symmetry group of the Landau problem on a cylinder, showing only a subgroup of the planar symmetries is realized, and derives this result through two different methods.

Findings

Symmetry group is a subgroup of the planar case.

Flux through the unit cylinder is quantized.

Discrete translation steps are related to flux quantization.

Abstract

We consider the quantum mechanics of an electron confined to move on an infinite cylinder in the presence of a uniform radial magnetic field. This problem is in certain ways very similar to the corresponding problem on the infinite plane. Unlike the plane however, the group of symmetries of the magnetic field, namely, rotations about the axis and the axial translations, is {\em not} realized by the quantum electron but only a subgroup comprising rotations and discrete translations along the axial direction, is. The basic step size of discrete translations is such that the flux through the `unit cylinder cell' is quantized in units of the flux quantum. The result is derived in two different ways: using the condition of projective realization of symmetry groups and using the more familiar approach of determining the symmetries of a given Hamiltonian.