A new model for the finite one-dimensional harmonic oscillator is proposed based upon the algebra u(2) α . This algebra is a deformation of the Lie algebra u(2) extended by a parity operator, with deformation parameter α. A class of irreducible unitary representations of u(2) α is constructed. In the finite oscillator model, the (discrete) spectrum of the position operator is determined, and the position wavefunctions are shown to be dual Hahn polynomials. Plots of these discrete wavefunctions display interesting properties, similar to those of the parabose oscillator. We show indeed that in the limit, when the dimension of the representations goes to infinity, the discrete wavefunctions tend to the continuous wavefunctions of the parabose oscillator.

We define the quadratic algebra su(2) α which is a one-parameter deformation of the Lie algebra su(2) extended by a parity operator. The odd-dimensional representations of su(2) (with representation label j, a positive integer) can be extended to representations of su (2) α . We investigate a model of the finite one-dimensional harmonic oscillator based upon this algebra su(2) α . It turns out that in this model the spectrum of the position and momentum operator can be computed explicitly, and that the corresponding (discrete) wavefunctions can be determined in terms of Hahn polynomials. The operation mapping position wavefunctions into momentum wavefunctions is studied, and this so-called discrete Hahn-Fourier transform is computed explicitly. The matrix of this discrete Hahn-Fourier transform has many interesting properties, similar to those of the traditional discrete Fourier transform.

We investigate a new model for the finite one-dimensional quantum oscillator based upon the Lie superalgebra sl(2|1). In this setting, it is natural to present the position and momentum operators of the oscillator as odd elements of the Lie superalgebra. The model involves a parameter p (0 < p < 1) and an integer representation label j. In the (2j +1)-dimensional representations W j of sl(2|1), the Hamiltonian has the usual equidistant spectrum. The spectrum of the position operator is discrete and turns out to be of the form ± √ k, where k = 0, 1, . . . , j. We construct the discrete position wave functions, which are given in terms of certain Krawtchouk polynomials. These wave functions have appealing properties, as can already be seen from their plots. The model is sufficiently simple, in the sense that the corresponding discrete Fourier transform (relating position wave functions to momentum wave functions) can be constructed explicitly.

Exactly-solvable model of the linear singular oscillator in the relativistic configurational space is considered. We have found wavefunctions and energy spectrum for the model under study. It is shown that they have correct non-relativistic limits.

We study the time evolution of a single spin excitation state in certain linear spin chains, as a model for quantum communication. Some years ago it was discovered that when the spin chain data (the nearest neighbour interaction strengths and the magnetic field strengths) are related to the Jacobi matrix entries of Krawtchouk polynomials or dual Hahn polynomials, so-called perfect state transfer takes place. The extension of these ideas to other types of discrete orthogonal polynomials did not lead to new models with perfect state transfer, but did allow more insight in the general computation of the correlation function. In the present paper, we extend the study to discrete orthogonal polynomials of q-hypergeometric type. A remarkable result is a new analytic model where perfect state transfer is achieved: this is when the spin chain data are related to the Jacobi matrix of q-Krawtchouk polynomials. The other cases studied here (affine q-Krawtchouk polynomials, quantum q-Krawtchouk polynomials, dual q-Krawtchouk polynomials, q-Hahn polynomials, dual q-Hahn polynomials and q-Racah polynomials) do not give rise to models with perfect state transfer. However, the computation of the correlation function itself is quite interesting, leading to advanced q-series manipulations.