Langer Modification in WKB Quantization for Translationally Shape Invariant Potentials

Abstract

When the Langer modification is applied to Coulomb potential, the standard WKB quantization yields an exact energy spectrum for the potential. This Langer modification has been known to be related to the centrifugal term appearing in Coulomb potential. But we find that a similar modification exists for all translationally shape invariant potentials without referring to the centrifugal term. The characteristic shape of the potentials accounts for the generalized version of Langer modification that makes the WKB quantization valid for all translationally shape invariant potentials.