QM 1 Homework

Sebastian Requena
Fall 2011

1 Cohen-Tannoudji KI Exercise 2
Consider a particle whose Hamiltonian is given by:

~2 d2
H= − αδ(x) (1)
2m dx2
Where α is a positive constant.

a) Integrate the eigenvalue equation of H between −² and +². Letting ² ap-

proach zero, show that dφ
dx represents a discontinuity at x = 0 and determine it
in terms of α, m, and φ(0)

The eigenvalue equation.

Eφ = Hφ (2)
2 2
~ d
Eφ = − φ − αδ(x)φ (3)
2m dx2
Get it ready to be integrated.

d2 2m
2
φ = 2 [−Eφ − αδ(x)φ] (4)
dx ~
Integrate it from −² to +²
Z +² 2 Z Z
d 2m +² 2m +²
2
φ = − Eφ − αδ(x)φ (5)
−² dx ~2 −² ~2 −²
µ ¶ Z
d2 d2 2m 0 2m
lim 2
φ(²) − 2
φ(−²) = − 2
Eφ − 2 αφ(0) (6)
²→0 dx dx ~ 0 ~
The terms on the left side of the equation represent the discontinuity about 0.
The first term on the right becomes zero and the second term is the value of
the discontinuity.

b) Assume that the energy of the particle is negative, (a bound state). φ(x) can
then be written,

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 x < 0 : φ(x) = A1 eρx + A‘1 e−ρx (7)
x > 0 : φ(x) = A2 eρx + A‘2 e−ρx (8)
Express the constant ρ in terms of E and m. Using the result of the previous
question, calculate the matrix M defined by:
µ ¶ µ ¶
A2 A1
=M (9)
A02 A01

Then, using the condition φ(x) must be square integrable, find the possible val-
ues of the energy. Calculate the corresponding normalized wave function.

I set A01 = A2 = 0 to bound my solution at +∞ and −∞.

x < 0 : φI (x) = A1 eρx (10)

x > 0 : φII (x) = A‘2 e−ρx (11)

I’ll impose continuity conditions at x = 0. We already have found the value of
the discontinuity at x = 0. By looking at the continuity conditions it should
be obvious that A1 = A02 . To construct the matrix M we can just look at our
coefficients and ”guess” it.
µ ¶µ ¶ µ 0 ¶ µ ¶
0 1 A1 A1 A2
= = (12)
1 0 A01 A1 A02
µ ¶
0 1
M= (13)
1 0
To find ρ I’ll use the Schrodinger equation.

~2 d2
Eφ = − φ (14)
2m dx2
d2 2mE
φ=− 2 φ (15)
dx2 ~
r
2mE
ρ= − 2 (16)
~
To find the possible energies, I’ll simply use the value of the discontinuity at
x=0
dφI (0) dφII (0) 2mα
− = − 2 φ(0) (17)
dx dx ~
2mα
−A02 ρeρ0 − A1 ρe−ρ0 = − 2 A1 (18)
~
Using Eq. 18, I solve for ρ
mα
ρ= 2 (19)
~

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Setting Eq. 16 equal to Eq. 18 yields:
r
2mE mα
− 2 = 2 (20)
~ ~
The allowed energy is found to be:
mα
E=− (21)
2~2
Finding the normalized wave function. I’ll take advantage of the symmetry of
the potential. Z ∞
2 |φ|2 dx = 1 (22)
0
Z ∞
A22 e−2ρx dx = 1 (23)
0
√
√ mα
A= ρ= (24)
~
The normalized wavefunctions are:
√
mα ρx
x < 0 : φI (x) = e (25)
~
√
mα −ρx
x > 0 : φII (x) = e (26)
~

c) Give a reasonable estimate of ∆x.

I’ll use the value at FWHM. √

ρ
= e−ρx (27)
2
Solving for 2x ≈ ∆x = − 2ln(1/2)
ρ

2 Cohen-Tannoudji KI Exercise 3
Consider a particle in the same potential as the previous problem. The particle
is propagating from the left to the right along the 0x axis with positive energy
E.
a) Show the wavefunctions for the stationary state.

I start with the general solution.

x < 0 : φI (x) = A0 eikx + Ae−ikx (28)

x > 0 : φII (x) = Beikx + B‘2 e−ikx (29)

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I’ll let B 0 = 0 to only consider particles coming from −∞. To simplify calcula-
tions, I set A0 = 1. The stationary wavefunctions become:

x < 0 : φI (x) = eikx + Ae−ikx (30)

x > 0 : φII (x) = Beikx (31)

To find the coefficients A and B, I impose continuity conditions at x=0. Setting,

φII (0) = φI (0) (32)

I have already dealt with the discontinuity in the first derivative in the previous
problem.
dφI (0) dφII (0) −2mα
− = (33)
dx dx ~2
Substituting Eq. 29,30 into Eq. 31,32 I can find A and B in terms of k, α,m,
and E. ³ mα ´−1
B = 1− (34)
ik~2
mα ³ mα ´−1
A= 1 − (35)
ik~2 ik~2
√
2mE
Setting k = ~ ,
µ ¶−1
mα
B = 1− √ (36)
i~ 2mE
µ ¶−1
mα mα
A= 1− √ (37)
ik~2 i~ 2mE
b) Set −EL = −mα E
2~2 . Calculate in terms of the dimensionless parameter EL , the
reflection coefficient parameter R and the transmission parameter T of the bar-
rier. Study their variation with respect to E. What happens when E approaches
∞? Show that if T is extended for negative values of E, it diverges when E
approaches EL and discuss this result.

The reflection coefficient is simply.

" µ ¶−1 #2
2 mα mα mα2
R = |A| = 1 − √ = (38)
ik~2 i~ 2mE 2~2 + mα2

Similarly for the transmission.

"µ ¶−1 #2
mα 2~2 E
T = |B|2 = 1− √ = (39)
i~ 2mE 2~2 E + mα2

To get into dimensionless units I use EL

1
R= E
(40)
EL +1

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 E
EL
T = E
(41)
EL +1
Note that R + T = 1 as a check that this is in fact correct.
As E goes to ∞, T goes to ∞ and R becomes 0. This is because the energy of
the particle is so high the barrier is transparent to it. For E goes to EL , both
T and R diverge. This is because the particle becomes trapped in the delta
potential.

3 Cohen-Tannoudji KI Exercise 5
Consider a particle of mass m whose potential is given by,

V (x) = −αδ(x) − αδ(x − l) (42)

Where l is a constant and α > 0.

−~2 ρ
a)Calculate the bound states of the particle, setting E = 2m . Show that
the possible energies are given by,
µ ¶
−ρl 2ρ
e =± 1− (43)
µ
2mα
Where µ = ~2 .

I begin with my general solution. I bound it and let one of the coefficients
equal 1 to simplify my calculations.

x < 0 : φII (x) = Aeρx (44)

ρx −ρx
0 < x < l : φI (x) = e + Be (45)
x > l : φIII (x) = Ce−ρx (46)
To find the allowed energies, I apply continuity conditions at x = 0 and get the
coefficient B in terms of the other variables. I find,
mα
B= −1 (47)
ρ~2
Similarly for x = l, I find,
µ ¶
ρ~2
B= − 1 e2ρl (48)
mα

Setting equations 46 and 47 equal, I find the transcendental equation for the
allowed energies (See Eq. 42).
(i) The Ground State: Show that this state is even (invariant with respect to
reflection about the point x = 2l ), and that its energy ES is less than the energy

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 Figure 1: The even and odd solutions

−EL introduced in problem 3. Interpret the result physically.

By graphically solving the transcendental equation Eq. 42. I see there are
two possible states. Since the potential is symmetric I can see there exists even
and odd solutions. The ground state is the even solution with the form of a cosh
function for 0 < x < l and decaying exponentials in the other regions. From
Fig. 2, the wavefunction is clearly even about 2l . Additionally, we know that
cosh(−x) = cosh(x). To show that the energy ES is less than EL , I solve Eq.
42 for α.
ρ~2
α= (49)
m (1 + e−ρl )
Substituting Eq. 48 into EL ,
2
−ρ~2
EL = (50)
2m (1 + e−pl )

Since ρl > 0 it is clear that EL > ES .

2
−ρ~2 −ρ~2
> (51)
2m (1 + e−pl ) 2m

By examining Fig. 2. I can see that the particle spends most of its time between
the two delta potentials. At the ground state the particle is trapped in between
the two potentials and spends less time outside of them. (ii) The Excited State:
Show that, when l is greater than a value which you are to specify, there exists
an odd excited state, of energy EA greater than −EL Graph the corresponding
wavefunction.

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 Figure 2: The ground state with l=2.

In Fig. 1 The odd solution has a negative slope which won’t necessarily have a
solution depending on the slope of the right hand side of the equation. To find
the solution, I take the derivative of the left hand side of Eq. 42, to find the
slope of the tangent line at ρ = 0
d −ρl
e = −le−ρl (52)
dρ
For there to be a non-zero solution, Eq. 52 must be true.
d −ρl 2
e <− (53)
dρ µ
Evaluating at ρ = 0 and rearranging the inequality.
2
l> (54)
µ
From the graph of the energy we can see that,
mα
ρ< 2 (55)
~
Which implies,
mα2
EA > − 2 > −EL (56)
2~
In Fig. 3, the corresponding wavefunction is a sinh function between the two
wells with decaying exponentials on either side. By examining the probability
amplitude, it is evident the particle spends most of it’s time localized around
one of the potentials. In this case the particle has enough energy to not be
trapped between the two delta potentials.

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Figure 3: The excited state.