Liouvillian solutions for second order linear differential equations with polynomial coefficients

Abstract

In this paper we present an algebraic study concerning the general second order linear differential equation with polynomial coefficients. By means of Kovacic’s algorithm and asymptotic iteration method we find a degree independent algebraic description of the spectral set: the subset, in the parameter space, of Liouville integrable differential equations. For each fixed degree, we prove that the spectral set is a countable union of non accumulating algebraic varieties. This algebraic description of the spectral set allow us to bound the number of eigenvalues for algebraically quasi-solvable potentials in the Schrödinger equation.