ECE  606  Homework  2:    Week  2  Solutions  

Mark  Lundstrom  and  John  Wilcox  
Purdue  University  
 
Revised:    1/22/13  
 
1) Consider  a  free  particle  normalized  so  that  the  probability  of  finding  it  between  x  =  0  
and  x  =  L  is  1.      The  wavefunction  is  
1 ikx
ψ ( x) = e    
L
 
a) Compute   x and  provide  an  interpretation.  
 
x = ∫ ψ * ( x )ψ dx  
∞

−∞
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  L  
 
L 1 1 ikx
x =∫ e− ikx ( x ) e dx  
0
L L
1 L
x = ∫ x dx  
L 0
L
x2
x =  
2L 0
L
x =  
2
 
The  probability,  ψ * ( x )ψ ( x ) ,  is  unform,  so  on  average  the  electron  will    be  found  to  
be    halfway  between  0  and  L.  
 
 
b) Compute   px  
 
∞ ⎛ d ⎞
px = ∫ ψ * ⎜ ψ dx  
−∞ ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  L  
 
 
 

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L ⎛  d ⎞ 1 ikx
1
px = ∫ e− ikx ⎜ e dx  
0
L ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠ L
1 L ⎡ ⎤
px = ∫ e− ikx ⎢ (ik) ⎥ eikx dx  
L 0 ⎣i ⎦
1 L
L ∫0
px = k dx  
L
x
px = k  
L 0

px = k  
 
  as  expected  for  a  plane  wave.  
 
c) Compute   px2  
 
2
⎛ d ⎞
∞
p 2
=∫ ψ ⎜ *
ψ dx  
x −∞ ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  L  
 
L 1 ⎛  2 d 2 ⎞ 1 ikx
px2 = ∫0
L
e− ikx ⎜ 2
⎝ i dx ⎟⎠ L
2
e dx  

1 L − ikx ⎡  2 2⎤
px2 = ∫ e ⎢ 2 ( ik ) ⎥ eikx dx  
L 0
⎣i ⎦
1 2 2 L
px2 =  k ∫ dx  
L 0

L
2k 2
p 2
x
= x  
L 0

px2 =  2 k 2  
 
 
px2
d) Show  that   = E − U 0  ,  where   U 0  is  the  spatially  constant  potential  energy.  
2m0
 
 
 

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Begin  with  the  wave  equation:  
 
 2 d 2ψ
− + Uψ = Eψ    
2m0 dx 2
 
multiply  both  sides  by  ψ *  
 
1 * ⎛ 2 d 2 ⎞
ψ ⎜ 2 2 ⎟ ψ + Uψ *ψ = Eψ *ψ  
2m0 ⎝ i dx ⎠
 
Now  integrate  both  sides:  
 
1
+∞
⎛ 2 d2 ⎞
* 
+∞ +∞

∫ ψ ⎜ 2 2 ⎟ ψ dx + U ∫ ψ ψ = E ∫ ψ *ψ  
*

2m0 −∞ ⎝ i dx ⎠ −∞ −∞

 
We  recognize  the  first  integral  as   px2  and  the  second  two  intergrals  give  1  because  the  
wavefunction  is  normalized.    The  result  is:  
 
px2
+ U = E  
2m0
 
which  shows  that   px2 2m0  is  the  kinetic  energy  (i.e.  total  energy  minus  potential  energy)  
 
 
2) Consider  the  n  =  1  eigenfunction  of  an  infinite,  1D  potential  well  of  width,  a.    The  
potential  energy,  U(x)  is  zero  inside  the  well  and  infinity  outside  the  well.  
 
a)    Show  that  the  normalized  wavefunction  is    
2
  ψ 1 ( x) = sin (π x a )    
a
 
∞
P = ∫ ψ 1*ψ 1 dx  
−∞
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  a  
2 2
sin (π x a ) sin (π x a ) dx  
L
P= ∫
0 a a

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L 2 2
P=∫ sin (π x a ) dx  
0 a
2 ⎡ x sin ( 2π x a ) cos ( 2π x a ) ⎤
a

P= ⎢ − ⎥  
a ⎢⎣ 2 2 ⎥⎦ 0
2⎛a⎞
P = ⎜ ⎟  
a⎝2⎠
P = 1  
 
 
b)    Compute   x and  provide  an  interpretation.  
 
x = ∫ ψ 1* ( x )ψ 1 dx  
∞

−∞
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  a  
2 2
sin (π x a ) ( x ) sin (π x a ) dx  
a
x =∫
0 a a
a 2
x = ∫ x sin 2 (π x a ) dx  
0 a

2 ⎛ a2 ⎞
x = ⎜ ⎟  
a⎝ 4 ⎠
a
x =  
2
 
The  wavefunction  is  symmetric  about  the  middle  of  the  well,  so  the  average  value  
will  be  halfway  between  0  and  a.  
 
 
 
c)    Compute   px  and  provide  an  interpretation.  
 
∞ ⎛ d ⎞
px = ∫ ψ 1* ⎜ ψ dx  
−∞ ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠ 1
 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  a  
2 ⎛ d ⎞ 2
sin (π x a ) ⎜ sin (π x a ) dx  
a
px = ∫
0 a ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠ a

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2 a ⎡ ⎛ π ⎞ ⎤
px = ∫ sin (π x a ) ⎢ ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ cos (π x a ) dx
a 0 ⎣ i ⎝ a⎠⎦  
 
2π
sin (π x a ) cos (π x a ) dx  
a
px =
a 2i ∫
0

a
2π a
px = 2 cos 2 (π x a )  
a i 2π 0

px = 0  
 
The  wavefunction  is  symmetric,  so  for  every  positive  momentum  there  is  a  
negative  momentum,  which  gives  a  net  of  zero.    Or  think  of  decomposing   sin ( kx )  
into   eikx  and   e− ikx ,  which  shows  that  there  are  two  plane  waves  with  equal  and  
opposite  momentum,  which  cancel.  
 
 
d)    Compute   px2  
2
∞⎛ d ⎞
p 2
=∫ ψ ⎜ *
ψ dx  
x −∞ ⎝ i dx ⎟⎠ 1
1

 
Limit  the  range  between  x  =  0  and  x  =  a  
2 ⎛ 2 d2 ⎞ 2
sin (π x a ) ⎜ − sin (π x a ) dx  
a
p =∫
2
x 0 a ⎝ dx 2 ⎟⎠ a
2 2 a d2
p2 = −
x
a ∫0
sin ( π x a ) dx 2
sin (π x a ) dx  

2 2π 2 a
p2
x
=
a 3 ∫0
( ) (
sin π x a sin π x a dx   )
2 2π 2 a 2
sin (π x a ) dx  
a 3 ∫0
p2 =
x

2 2π 2 ⎛ x asin (π x a ) cos (π x a ) ⎞
a

p2 = ⎜ − ⎟  
x
a3 ⎝ 2 2π ⎠0
2 2π 2 ⎛ a ⎞
p2 =  
x
a 3 ⎜⎝ 2 ⎟⎠

 2π 2
p2 =  
x
a2
 

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This  result  should  have  been  expected.    Recall  that   k xn is  quantized  according  to  
k x = nπ a ,  so   px = k x = nπ a .  Square  this  and  take  n  =  1  and  we  get  the  answer.  
 
 
px2  2π 2
e)    Show  that   = = ε1  ,  
2m0 2m0 a 2
where   ε1 is  the  ground  state  energy.  
 
px2
ε1 =  
2m0
From  above  
 2π 2
ε1 =  
2m0 a 2
 
Which  is  the  result  we  obtained  for  the  particle  in  a  box.    We  can  interpret  the  energy  as  
that  due  to  the  kinetic  energy  of  the  electron  bouncing  back  and  forth  inside  the  quantum  
well.  
   

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3) In  optical  lithography,  pattern  are  exposed  with  light.    In  electron  beam  lithography,  
patterns  are  exposed  with  electrons.    Commonly-­‐used  optical  lithography  systems  use  
a  wavelength  of  193  nm.      The  advantage  of  electron  beam  lithography  is  better  
resolution  because  electrons  have  small  wavelengths.    Electron-­‐beam  lithography  is  
typically  done  with  electron  energies  between  20  keV  and  100  keV.    
 
Assume  an  electron  energy  of  100  keV.    What  is  the  wavelength  of  these  electrons?  
(Relativistic  effects  begin  to  become  important  at  these  energies,  but  you  may  ignore  
them  for  this  calculation.)  
 
h
p = k =    where   λ B  is  the  DeBroglie  wavelength.  
λB
 
Need  the  electron  momentum:  
 
p2
  Ek = → p = 2m0 Ek    
2m0
 
From  the  first  equation:  
 
h h
λB = =  
p 2m0 Ek
 
Putting  in  numbers….  
 
6.626 × 10−34
λB = = 3.9 × 10−12 m  
(
2 9.109 × 10 −31
) × 10 × 1.6 × 10
5 −19

 
or     λ B = 3.9 [pm] = 0.0039 ⎡⎣ nm ⎤⎦  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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4) Consider  a  unit  amplitude  wave  with   0 < E < U 0  incident  from  the  left  in  the  figure  
below.  
 

 
 
a) Derive  an  expression  for  the  decay  constant,   α ,  for  the  region  x  >  0.  
 
The  wave  equation  is:  
 
d 2ψ 2mo
+ 2 ( E − U 0 )ψ = 0
dx 2   
 
For  x  >  0,  E  <  U0,  so  we  write  this  as:  
 
d 2ψ
2
− α 2ψ = 0  
dx
 
where  
 
2m
α 2 = 2 0 (U 0 − E )
  
 
2mo
α=
2
(U 0 − E )  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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b)     Assume  that  the  region  for  x  <  0  represents  silicon  and  the  region  x  >  0  represent  
the  energy  barrier  presented  by  SiO2.    Assume  an  electron  with  a  thermal  energy  of  
3k BT / 2  is  incident  on  the  barrier  with  a  height  of  3.38  eV.    Approximately  how  far  
into  the  SiO2  does  the  electron  penetrate?  (You  may  assume  that  the  temperature  is  
300K,  the  mass  of  the  electron  is  m0,  and  that  the  penetration  depth  is  about   1 α .)  
 
(As  an  additional  exercise,  you  should  be  able  to  derive  an  expression  for  the  
magnitude  of  the  reflection  coefficient,   R = r 2 and  show  that  R  =  1.  

Physical constants:
 = 1.0546x10−34 [Js]
m0 = 9.109x10−31 [kg]
  k B = 1.380x10−23 [J / K]
 
 

x=d
 
1
d=  
α
1
d=  
2mo
2
(U 0 − E )
⎛ 1.602x10−19 J ⎞
U 0 = 3.38 eV ⎜ ⎟⎠  
⎝ 1 eV
U 0 = 5.41x10−19 J  
3k BT
E=  
2
E = 6.21× 10−21 J  

  d = 106.6 × 10−12 m  or   d = 0.1066 nm  

 
   

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5)   Consider  a  unit  amplitude  wave  with   E > U 0  incident  from  the  left  in  the  figure  
below.    Derive  an  expression  for  the  magnitude  of  the  reflection  coefficient,   R = r 2 .  
Express  your  answer  in  terms  of  energy,  E.    Explain  how  R  varies  as  E  becomes  much  
larger  than  U0.  
 
 

 
 
ψ − = 1eik x + re− ik x  
1 1

ψ + = teik2 x + 0e− ik2 x  

 
2mo E
k1 =  
2
2mo ( E − U o )
k2 =  
2
 
Apply  the  boundary  conditions:  
 
ψ + ≡ ψ − → r = t − 1  
 
dψ + dψ −
≡ → ik1 (1− r) = ik2 (t) → k1 (1− r) = k2 (t)  
dx dx
 
So  we  have  2  equations  for  2  unknowns:  
 
r = t −1
      (1)  
k1 (1− r) = k2 (t)   (2)  
 
Solve  (1)  for  t  and  insert  in  (2)  
 
k1 (1− r) = k2 (1+ r )  
 
Solve  for  r:  

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k1 − k2
r=  
k1 + k2
 
Find  R:  
 
R = r2
 
 
2
⎛k −k ⎞
R=⎜ 1 2⎟
⎝ k1 + k2 ⎠
 
 
As  E  becomes  much  larger  than  U0,  R  goes  to  zero.    Note  that  if  U0  goes  to  0,  R  also  
goes  to  zero,  and  if  U(x)  for  x  <  0  goes  to  U0,  R  goes  to  zero  too.  
 
 
6) The  sketch  of  energy  vs.  position  shown  below  is  similar  to  that  found  at  the  oxide  
semiconductor  interface  in  a  MOSFET.  Sketch  the  expected  form  of   ψ ( x )  for  an  
electron  with  energy,   ε1    and  explain  how  you  arrived  at  your  result.  
 

 
 
The  approach  is  to  look  at  the  wave  equation:  

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d 2ψ 2m0
+ 2 ( E − U 0 )ψ = 0
dx 2   
 
Where  E  >  U0,  we  have  oscillatory  solution  and  where  E  <  0,  we  have  exponentially  
decaying  solutions.    We  conclude  for  the  ground  state:  

x  
 
 
For  n  =  2,  there  would  have  been  one  complete  oscillation  in  the  well.  

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