The spiked harmonic oscillatorV(r)=r 2+λr −4 as a challenge to perturbation theory

Abstract

The standard weak- and strong-coupling perturbation series are interpreted as extreme special cases of expansions obtainable within the framework of Rayleigh-Schroedinger perturbation theory with non-diagonal propagators and unspecified zero-order energies. The formalism of the latter type is then tested by our strongly singular example. It proves suitable for applications in the domain of virtually arbitrary couplings. A few related technicalities and especially the quadruple problem of convergence are also discussed.