A SIMPLER SOLUTION OF THE DIRAC-EQUATION IN A COULOMB POTENTIAL

We present an alternative to the standard method of solution of the Di rac equation for a particle in a Coulomb potential, which hews closer to the more familiar solution of the nonrelativistic Schrodinger equat ion. The bound-state wave functions so obtained are also closer in for m to the nonrelativistic Schrodinger wave functions and make the trans ition to this limit more evident. The equivalence of these and the ''s tandard'' solution form of the Dirac wave functions is demonstrated in the Appendix, which, at the same time, shows the advantage of a new t rigonometric parametrization in the algebraic manipulation of relativi stic quantities. (C) 1997 American Association of Physics Teachers.