SPP-2010-103

Approximate Analytical Expressions for the Classical and

Quantum Revival time scales of the δ-Perturbed 1-D Infinite
Square Well System
Cañeso, D.∗ , Esguerra J. P., Villegas, K. H.
National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101
∗
Corresponding author:dianecaneso@gmail.com

Abstract
The classical and revival time scales of a wave-packet excited in a
δ-perturbed infinite square well about a mean quantum number n̄ were
c 2010 Samahang
calculated via time-independent perturbation theory.
Pisika ng Pilipinas

PACS number: 03.65.Ge

1. Introduction
The study of the wave-packet evolution of quantum systems with simple potentials can cast light on both
semi-classical features (which have obvious classical analogs) and quantum effects which do not have obvious
classical analogs. For example, an initially localized wave-packet which exhibit behavior very similar to the
classical evolution for short times (a few classical periods), will spread significantly after several classical
periods, and then “relocalize”later after a so-called quantum revival time [1]. Classical and quantum revival
have been investigated previously in finite square wells [2,3] and in the infinite square well with an attractive
δ-potential in the middle of the well [4]. These studies however do not tell us much about wave-packet
evolution in systems with asymmetric potentials.
In this paper, we consider a particle of mass m confined in an infinite square well of length L perturbed with
an attractive δ-function potential at an arbitrary position x = pL, with 0<p<1 and 0≤x≤L. Approximate
analytical solutions for the wave eigenfunctions and energy eigenvalues are obtained. These eigenfunctions
and eigenvalues are then used for the study of quantum revival phenomena of a wave-packet excited in such
a system.

2. Energy Quantization Condition

We begin with the time-independent Schrödinger equation,
~2 d 2
 
Hψ = − − λδ(x − pL) ψ = Eψ, (1)
2m dx2
where H is the Hamiltonian, ψ is the wavefunction, ~ = h/2π where h is Planck’s constant, m is the mass
of the particle, V = −λδ(x − pL) is the δ potential with λ as a parameter and E is the energy eigenvalue.
The general solution of Eq. (1) is

A sin kx + B cos kx , 0 ≤ x ≤ pL
ψ(x) = (2)
C sin kx + D cos kx , pL ≤ x ≤ L
where r
2mE
k= (3)
~2
By imposing boundary conditions at x = 0, x = pL, and x = L, the eigenstates are reduced to the form
Ak sin kx , 0 ≤ x ≤ pL

ψ(x) = sinkpL (4)
Ak sink(1−p)L sin k(L − x) , pL ≤ x ≤ L
where Ak is a normalization constant and k must satisfy the energy quantization condition [5],
2mλ
k sin kL = sin kpL sin k(1 − p)L (5)
~2
This quantization condition is a transcendental equation in k. Hence, to obtain the energy eigenvalues, we
use a perturbation method.

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3. Perturbation Method
We consider the δ well as a perturbation such that the approximate energy eigenvalues can be obtained. For
small perturbations, we can expand k such that our energy eigenvalue expression from Eq. (1) becomes
2
~2 (0)

En = k + λk (1) + λ2 k (2) + ... (6)
2m

From Eq. (5) and Eq. (6) we obtain the following:

nπ 2m
k (0) = , k (1) = (−1)n sin2 (k (0) pL) (7)
L k (0) L~2
The new energy eigenvalues for the δ-perturbed system are found via perturbation method and we begin by
writing the new Hamiltonian H as the sum of two terms [6],

H = H 0 + λH ′ (8)

where the Hamiltonian for which an exact solution exists is denoted by H 0 , λ is a parameter and H ′ is the
perturbing Hamiltonian. The energy for H 0 is

n2 π 2 ~2
En(0) = (9)
2mL2
We can obtain the first-order and second-order correction to the energy of the nth state for H with

En(1) = hψn0 |H ′ |ψn0 i (10)

X |hψ 0 |H ′ |ψ 0 i|2
En(2) = m n
(11)
En0 − Em 0
m6=n

The results are  

2
En(1) = −λ sin2 (nπp) (12)
L
and   
2m 4
En(2) = −λ2 sin (nπp) 1 + 2nπ(1 − 2p) cot (nπp) (13)
n2 ~2 π 2
Hence, the eigenvalues of H in a power series expansion in λ from Eq. (9), Eq. (12) and Eq. (13) is

n2 π 2 ~2
    
2 2 2 2m 4
En = − λ sin (nπp) − λ sin (nπp) 1 + 2nπ(1 − 2p) cot (nπp) + O(λ3 ) (14)
2mL2 L n2 ~2 π 2

This expansion up to second-order correction term is useful for the study of the quantum revival of a wave-
packet excited in a δ-pertubed system such as the infinite square well.

4. Wave-Packet Revival Phenomena

Consider a wave-packet excited in the vicinity of its mean quantum number n̄. The time scales for the
wave-packet’s dynamics are obtained from the Taylor series expansion of the energy eigenvalue spectrum
about n̄ [2],
(n − n̄) (n − n̄)2
 
En = En̄ + 2π~ + + ... (15)
T1 T2
Hence, the time scales are as follows [1]:
2π~
T1 = Tcl = (16)
|En̄′ |
2π~
T2 = Trev = |En̄
′′ | (17)
2

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d2 E 
 
where En̄′ denotes dE ′′
dn n=n̄ and En̄ denotes dn2 En=n̄ . T1 corresponds to the classical time scale and T2 for

the revival time scale. Taking the first energy derivative En̄′ from Eq. (14), we have

n̄π 2 ~2
    
2πp 2 m p 4 2
En̄′ = 2
−λ sin (2n̄πp) − λ 2
3
sin (n̄πp) 2
sin (n̄πp) + cos (n̄πp) 2
mL L ~ n̄π π n̄
  
pπ
+(1 − 2p) 1 + 4 cot (n̄πp) − csc (n̄πp) (18)
n̄

and the second energy derivative En̄′′ is then given by

π 2 ~2
 2 2
8p2
   
4π p 2 m 2 1
En̄′′ = − λ cos (2n̄πp) − λ sin (n̄πp) − sin2 (n̄πp)
mL2 L ~2 π2 n̄2
8p2 (1 − 2p)π
   
4p 3p
+ − sin (2n̄πp) + 8p(1 − 2p) cos2 (n̄πp) + 4 − sec2 (n̄πp)
n̄π ~ n̄2 (1 − 2p)
  
pπ
+ − 3 sec2 (n̄πp) + 6 cot (n̄πp) (19)
~

Hence, Eq. (18) to Eq. (16) yields the classical time scale Tcl ,

2mL2
    2 2 
2pmL 2 m L 3 p
T1 = Tcl = 1+λ 2
sin (2n̄πp) + λ 2 4
sin (n̄πp) sin (n̄πp)
n̄π~ n̄π~ n̄π ~ n̄π 2
4p(1 − 2p)[4 cos2 (n̄πp) − 1] 4p2 m2 L2
  
4 2
+ cos (n̄πp) 2 + (1 − 2p) + + 2 2 4
π n̄ n̄ sin (n̄πp) n̄ π ~

× sin2 (2n̄πp) (20)

and Eq. (19) to Eq. (17) yields the revival time scale Trev

4mL2
 2  2 2
8p2
   
4p mL 2 m L 4 1
T2 = Trev = 1+λ cos (2n̄πp) + λ sin (n̄πp) − 2 sin2 (n̄πp)
π~ ~2 π 2 ~4 π2 n̄
2
 
1 2pπ(1 − 2p) 24p π
+ − 4p sin (2n̄πp) + (1 − 2p) cot (n̄πp) cos (2n̄πp) + 8p(1 − 2p)
n̄π ~ ~
2 
3p2 16p4 m2 L2
  
× 2 + 4 − sec2 (n̄πp) + cos (2n̄πp) (21)
n̄ (1 − 2p) ~4

These are the approximate analytical expressions for the time scales up to the second order correction term
of a wave-packet excited in the system. For n̄p = 2m+1 2 , m ∈ Z, Trev → ∞. Hence, there is no occurence
of revival for this value of n̄p up to the second order correction. This result has not been proven for higher
order correction terms of Trev . The physical significance of this result is yet to be determined. The first
term for both the classical time scale and revival time scale correspond to the time scales of the unperturbed
energy eigenvalue.

5. Conclusion
In this paper we have obtained analytical expressions for the classical time scale Tcl and quantum revival
time scale Trev for the δ-perturbed infinite square well system. The approximate expressions for the energy
will be useful for the study of the time evolution of a wave-packet through methods such as computing
for the autocorrelation function upon selecting an initial wave-packet function and investigating the time-
development of its expectation values. The obtained expressions for the energy and time scales can be
compared with and provide analytic description for numerical applications corresponding to the phase-space
plot by evolving the Wigner probability density, which is useful for analyzing the correlations of the position
and momentum properties of the wave-packet and to the plot of the probability density as a function of the
well position for different times including at times equal to the Tcl and Trev .

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References
[1] R.W.Robinett, “Quantum Wave Packet Revivals,”Physics Reports, 2008 (to be published).

[2] D. L. Aronstein and C. R. Stroud Jr., “Analytical investigation of revival phenomena in the finite
square-well potential,” Phys. Rev. A 62, 022102 - 1-9, 2000.

[3] D. L. Aronstein and C. R. Stroud Jr., “General series solution for finite square-well energy levels for
use in wave-packet studies,”Am. J. Phys. 68, pp 943-949, 2000.

[4] G. A. Vugalter, A. K. Das, and V. A. Sorokin, “Revivals in an infinite square well in the presence of
a δ well,”Phys. Rev. A 66, 012104 - 1-7, 2002.

[5] N. Bera, K. Bhattacharya, and J.K. Bhattacharjee, “Perturbative and non-perturbative studies with
the delta function potential,”Am. J. Phys. 76, pp 250-257, 2008.

[6] D.J.Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Chapter 2, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ,
2004.

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