Unbound States

1. A review on calculations for the potential

step.
2. Topics in Unbound States:
The potential step.
Two steps: The potential barrier and
tunneling.
today Real-life examples: Alpha decay and other
applications.
A summary: Particle-wave propagation.
 The potential step: solve the equation
E
Initial condition: free KE E U 0
particles moving U x 0 U0
KE E
from left to right.

U x 0 0
x0 x
2
d 2 x
The Schrdinger Equation: U x x E x
2m dx 2
When U 0 When U U 0
d 2 x 2mE d 2 x 2m E U 0
x k x
2
x k ' 2 x
dx 2 2
dx 2 2

When E U 0
Solution: x Aeikx Beikx x Ceik' x
Inc. Refl. Trans.

Apply normalization and wave

function smoothness
 The potential step: solve the equation
Initial condition: free
particles moving U x 0 U0
KE E KE E U 0 0
from left to right. E

U x 0 0
x0 x
2
d 2 x
The Schrdinger Equation: U x x E x
2m dx 2
When U 0 When U U 0
d 2 x 2mE d 2 x 2m U 0 E
x k x
2
x 2 x
dx 2 2
dx 2 2

When E U 0
Solution: x Aeikx Beikx x Ce x
Inc. Refl.
 The potential step: transmission and reflection
E
U0
U0
E

x0 x x0 x

When E U 0 When E U 0

Reflection
2
E E U0 B* B
Reflection probability: R * 1
R

AA
probability: E E U0
2

Transmission T 1 R 0
probability:
Transmission T 4 E E U0

probability: 2 Penetration
1

E E U0 depth: 2m U 0 E
 Examples
An electron of kinetic energy 5 eV encounters a 2 eV potential step. What is the
probability that it will be reflected? E
This is the case when E U 0 U0

( ) =( )
2 2
E - E -U 0 5 - 5- 2
R= = 0.016
( E -U ) ( 5- 2 )
2 2
E+ 0
5+ x0 x

Straightforward, right? How about this:

An electron of kinetic energy 5 eV encounters a 2 eV potential step down. What is
the probability that it will be reflected?
E
( )
( ) x0
2 2
E - E -U 0 5 - 5- -2
R= = = 0.007 x
( E -U )
2 2
E+ 0 5 + 5- ( )
-2
U0
Not 0!
 Two steps: The potential barrier and tunneling.
E
Initial condition: free
particles moving U 0 x L U0
from left to right.
U x 0 0 U x L 0

x0 xL x

When E U 0 When E U 0 Tunneling

Solution: Solution:
x 0: x Aeikx Beikx x 0: x Aeikx Beikx
Inc. Refl. Inc. Refl.
0 x L: x Ceik' x Deik' x 0 x L: x Ce x De x

x L: x Feikx x L: x Feikx
Trans. Trans.
Apply normalization and wave
function smoothness
 Two steps: The potential barrier and tunneling.
When E U 0 When E U 0 Tunneling
Results: Results:
sin 2 2m E U 0 L R
sinh 2 2m E U 0 L
R
sin 2 2m E U 0 L 4 E U E U
0 0 1 sinh 2 2m E U 0 L 4 E U E U
0 0 1

4 E U 0 E U 0 1
4 E U 0 E U 0 1 T
T
sin 2
2m E U 0 L 4 E U E U
0 0 1
sinh 2 2m E U 0 L 4 E U E U
0 0 1

2m E U 0 n 2 2 2
when: L n or E U 0
2mL2
R0
Resonant transmission.
Thin film optics analogy.
 Tunneling through a wide barrier
Wide barrier:

Tunneling:

Transmission probability is very sensitive to barrier width L and the energy E. This
leads to some wonderful applications of QM.
How sensitive? An electron encounters a barrier of 5.0 eV with a width of 1.6 nm.
What is the transmission probability when the electron is (a) 2.0 eV and (b) 3.0 eV?
When E = 2.0 eV When E = 3.0 eV

50% energy
increase leads to
150 times more
transmission!
Real-life examples: Alpha decay and other
applications.
Who took my cheese? Who took the energy from
my alphas?
 The Tunnel Diode
Invented in 1957 by Leo Esaki (Nobel prize in 1973) et al., a tunnel diode is also
called an Esaki diode. First manufactured by Sony in 1957, tunnel diodes are still
produced in small volume today and used in frequency converters and detectors,
and sometimes in oscillators and amplifiers as well.

A tunnel diode is made by highly doped p and

n areas that form a very thin (~10 nm)
depletion region. The thickness of the
depletion region is controlled by external
voltage, hence the probability of electrons
tunneling through this barrier is also controlled.
For more reading materials about this device
please check: I-V curve of a tunnel diode
with a negative resistance region
http://www.ee.sc.edu/personal/faculty/simin/ELCT563/08%20T
unnel%20Diodes.pdf

http://www.jhuapl.edu/techdigest/views/pdfs/V04_N5_1965/V4
_N5_1965_Munsterman.pdf
 SQUID, Field Emission and STM

A SQUID, superconducting quantum interference device, is a very sensitive

magnetometer based on superconducting loops that contain Josephson (1973
Nobel prize) Junctions, the tunneling of the Cooper pairs.

Field electron emission is emission of electrons induced by an electrostatic field,

through the tunnel effect.

Scanning Tunneling Microscope.

Please research on these quantum effects and their applications in sciences and
technologies. They provide good topics for semester end presentations.
 Self study:
Section 6.4 Particle-wave propagation.
Study section 6.4 and write a one page summary.
We will compare the summaries in next class.
 Review questions
Please review the solutions to the Schrdinger
equation with the step and two steps condition
and make sure that you feel comfortable with
the results.
 Preview for the next class
Text to be read:
Please skim from 7.1 to 7.8. If you have difficulty in
understanding the materials, see the slides by next Monday.
Questions:
What is the fundamental change to move the Schrdinger
equation from 1-D to 3-D?
What is the quantization condition for the z component of
angular momentum?
According to QM, can you have a visual presentation for the
electrons whereabouts in a hydrogen atom?
 Homework ch6-2, due by 3/31
1. Problem 21 on page 224.
2. Problem 24 on page 225.
3. Problem 32 on page 225.