Quantum Tunneling

Final Project For BS(Physics) 8th Semester

Under the Supervision of:

Sir Syed Zuhair Abbas Shah

University Of Sargodha, Bhakkar Campus

Group Members
1. Mureed Ibrahim (BPHF17E135)
2. M Hashim Khan (BPHF17E147)
3. Asad Hussain (BPHF17E133)
4. Kaleem Akhtar (BPHF17E1)
5. Saifullah (BPHF17E134)
6. Moeen Akhtar (BPHF17E140)
7. Rameen Khalid (BPHF17E112)
8. Tayyaba BiBi (BPHF17E1)
9. Manoor Fatima (BPHF17E1)
10. Bushra BiBi (BPHF17E120)
Topic Distribution
Member Name
• Mureed Ibrahim (BPHF17E135)
• Rameen Khalid (BPHF17E112)
• Saifullah (BPHF17E134)
• Mureed Ibrahim (BPHF17E135)
• M Hashim Khan (BPHF17E147)
• Tayyaba BiBi (BPHF17E1)
• Manoor Fatima (BPHF17E1)
• Bushra (BPHF17E120)
• Asad Hussain (BPHF17E133)
• Kaleem Akhtar (BPHF17E1)
• Mueen Akhtar (BPHF17E140)
Topic (Slide No)
Group Intro (1-3)
Introduction (4)
Historical Background (5)
Physics Behind Concept (7-12)
Physics Behind Concept (13-16)
Applications (18-20)
Applications (21-23)
Applications (24,25)
STM (27-30)
STM (31-33)
Conclusion & Thanks (34-35)
1. Introduction to Quantum Tunneling
• QT is quantum mechanical phenomenon where
waveform can propagate through a potential
barrier
• Barrier may be any energy barrier
• Probability of finding the object outside the
barrier is NEVER zero
• QT for macro objects is also possible but
probability of presence of these objects
outside the barrier is very very low BUT NOT
ZERO.
2. Historical Background
• In 1928 George Gamow had find an answer of the theory o alpha
particle decay of a nucleus by the way of tunneling.
• When in 1947 the transistors were discovered then tunneling of
electron accepted new attentiveness. I
• Esaki find out tunnel diode and its finding showed the electron
tunneling in solids finally.
• In 1962 the major finding was theoretical work of B.D Josephson,
the connection with tunneling between two superconductor
• There were five noble prizes awarded for research including
tunneling in semiconductor and superconductor and more or
creation of scanning tunneling microscopy.
Physics Behind The Concept
What actually Quantum
Tunneling is?
 3. Physics Behind the Concept
• Imagine that you have a tennis ball rolling back and forth in a
frictionless box.
• The only way for the ball to get on the other side of the box is either to
gain enough energy to go over the wall or by having enough energy to
break through the wall. There is no other way in classical physics.
• But in case of Quantum object like electron - have a wave-particle
duality.
• Their location is defined by a wave function that can only tell us
the probability of finding it a particular location.
• There is a non-zero probability that the electron can be outside the
wall.
• In fact, quantum mechanics, shows that the wave function of a particle
exists in all of space, in the entire universe up to infinity.
• Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
ΔpΔx ≥ h/4π
Schrodinger’s Equation
• Time independent form of the Schrodinger equation
• Ψ denotes the wave function
• the wave function depends on both time and position

• The wave function can be both positive or negative, but the square is
always positive
• the square of the wave function, which is a function of position x, gives
the probability of finding the particle at that position.
The first part is the kinetic energy operator acting on the wave
function, the second part is the potential energy operator acting on the
wave function. After the equal sign, it is the total energy acting on
the wave function.
 Particle in a Box

ΨIII

with a wall that has a finite thickness and finite height.

Calculating wave functions for object inside and outside the barrier
Tunneling for Larger Objects
• Wave function depends on several factors, the thickness of the barrier,
the height of the barrier or Vo
For macro size objects like a tennis ball or our fist, the mass is so large,
and the thicknesses of the barriers so great that the wave function will have
an extremely small value, making the probability extremely small.

But NOT Zero!

 Tunneling for Human Body

• If we do a rough calculation for our hand

or body to tunnel through the wall, the
probability will be about 10^-40
• More zeros than atoms in our body which
are about 10^28
• It is statically impossible but not Quantum
mechanically
Applications of Quantum
Tunneling
The mysterious phenomena
benefiting Humans
4. Applications of Quantum Tunnelling

⚫ Shining Sun
⚫ Electronics
⚫ Tunnel junction
⚫ Quantum-dot cellular automata
⚫ Tunnel field-effect transistors
⚫ Kinetic isotope effect
⚫ Quantum conductivity
⚫ Tunnel diode
⚫ Quantum biology
⚫ Radioactive decay
 i. Shining Sun

• Fusion reaction
• Hydrogen bomb
• Coulomb potential
• Strong nuclear
force
• Energy barrier
 ii. Electronics
• Current leakage
• Fundamental technique
• Electronic devices
• Transistor
iii. Tunnel junction
Simple barrier
• Thin insulator
• Precision measurements
 iv. Quantum-dot cellular automata

• Molecular binary logic synthesis

technology
• Lower & Faster device
• Maximum frequency
• 15pHz
v. Radioactive decay
• process of emission of particles and energy from the unstable nucleus
of an atom to form a stable product.
• The first application of quantum tunnelling.
• Radioactive decay is a relevant issue for astrobiology
vi. Tunnel field-effect transistors
• A European research project
• Thermal injection
• Reducing gate voltage from ≈1 volt to
0.2 volts
• Reducing power consumption by more
than 100×
• If transistors can be scaled up
into VSLI chips
vii. Quantum conductivity
• Drude model
• When a electron wave packet encounters
• When a electron wave packet encounters an
extended array of uniformly spaced barriers,
• The reflected a part of the wave packet
interferes uniformly with the transmitted one
between all barriers
• So that 100% transmission becomes possible.
 viii. Tunnel diode
• Diodes are electrical semiconductor unit that
allow current flow in one direction
• This has a maximum at the point where
• The voltage bias such that the energy level of the
p and n conduction band are the same.
• Tunnel diodes are often created that have a
variety of voltages that current decreases as
voltage increases
• The resonant tunnelling diode makes use of
quantum tunnelling during a very different
manner to realize an identical result
 ix. Quantum biology

• Quantum tunnelling is among the central

non-trivial quantum effects in quantum
biology.
• Proton tunnelling could also be a key
believe spontaneous DNA mutation
• Other instances of quantum tunnelling-
induced mutations in biology are believed
to be an explanation for ageing and
cancer.
Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Based on Concept of Quantum Tunneling

5. Scanning Tunneling Microscope
(i) Introduction

• A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is an instrument for imaging

surfaces at the atomic level.
• STM is based on the concept of quantum tunneling.
• In STM good resolution is considered to be 0.1 nm lateral resolution and
0.01 nm (10 pm) depth resolution.
• Quantum mechanics explain the behaviour of photons and electrons.
• Quantum Tunneling means tunneling current occurs when electrons
move through a barrier that they classically shouldn't be able to move
through. In classical terms, if you don't have enough energy to move
“over” a barrier, you won't.
(ii) Basic Components of STM
 (iii) Explanation of Construction Components

1.Scanning Tip
• STM tips arc usually made from tungsten metal or a
platinum-iridium alloy where at the very end of the tip (called
apex) there is one atom of the material.
• Scanning tip is the most important aspect of the STM as
tunneling current is carried by that particular atom
 Explanation of Construction Components

2. Piezoelectric Scanner
• The scanner tip is attached to a piezoelectric tube scanner.
• Piezoelectric the effect is a phenomenon under which the material changes its length
accordingly when put under an electrical voltage.
• By adjusting the voltage on the piezoelectric element, the distance between the tip and the
surface can be regulated.
• Piezoelectric crystals expand and contract very slightly depending on the voltage applied to
them and this principle is used to control the horizontal position x, r, and the height z of the
scanning tip.
 Explanation of Construction Components

3. Distance control and scanning unit

With the help of piezoelectric the position control is extremely fine, so a
rough is required to position the tip close enough to the sample before the
piezoelectric control can take over.

4. Data processing unit (computer)

Tunneling current record by the computer and this computer also control the
voltage to the piezoelectric tubes to gives a 3 dimensional map of the sample
surface.

5. Vibration isolation system

Scanning tunneling microscope links with extremely fine position measurements so t
isolation of any vibrations is very important. The surface and tip distance must be
maintained in (0.1 nm) angstrom to achieve wanted atomic resolution. Because of
extremely high sensitivity of tunneling current between tip and sample surface height,
it is completely essential to reduce inner vibrations and to isolate the system from
external vibration
 (iv) Working Principle
• First, a voltage bias is applied and the tip is brought
close to the sample by coarse sample-to-tip
control, which is turned off when the tip and
sample are sufficiently close. At close range, fine
control of the tip in all three dimensions near the
sample is typically piezoelectric, maintaining tip
sample separation W typically in the 4-7 4° (0.4-
0.7 nm) range.
• In this situation, the voltage bias will cause
electrons to tunnel between the tip and sample,
creating a current that can be measured. Once
tunneling is established, the tip's bias and position
with respect to the sample can be varied and data
are obtained from the resulting changes in current.
• If the lip is moved across the sample in the x-y
plane, the changes in surface height and density
of slates cause changes in current. These changes
arc mapped in images.
• This change in current with respect to position
can be measured itself, or the height, z, of the lip
corresponding to a constant current can be
measured.
(v) Tunneling Effect with the Tunneling Microscope

• Direction of the current flow is determined by the

polarity of the biased.
• Only electrical conductive materials are examined
by the help of STM.
• One single atom must be at the end of the tip for
getting better resolution than the diameter of an
atom.
• For electrons to leaving the sample they required
work be done, this work is called work function.
 6. Conclusion
• Quantum Tunneling is a mysterious concept of Quantum Physics
• According to which an object can tunnel through a potential
barrier.
• Mathematically, we can prove it with the help of Schrodinger’s
wave equation.
• This phenomenon has wide applications in modern era.
• Scanning Tunneling Microscope is very useful application which
follows the Principle of QT.
• A wide research is being done on QT.
Werner Heisenberg

Slides Prepared by M Ibrahim