One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

in this chapter we will explore the phenomena of lD scattering to show t

hat transmission is possible even when the quantum particle has insuffic
ient energy to surmount the barrier

the transfer matrix method will be utilized to analyze the one-dimension

al propagation of quantum waves

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

consider a particle of energy E and mass m to be incident from the left o

n arbitrarily shaped, 1D, smooth & continuous potential V (x )

Such a problem can be solved by ：

(1) dividing the potential into a piecewise constant function

(2) using the transfer matrix method to calculate the probability of the pa
rticle emerging on the right-hand side of the barrier

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

 j 1  j ~ j

dj
Vj
x  x j 1



d1 j 1
x  x j   ds
x2  d1 s 0

x0  x1  0
d0  0
Figure 6.1 Sketch of the quantum scattering at the jth interface between 2 s
uccessive constant values of the piecewise potential & the wave propagatin
g through the constant potential until reaching
V the next interface at a dist
j

ance after crossing the jth interface

dj

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

the dynamics of the quantum particle is described by the Schrödinger e

q., which is given in the jth region by ：
 2 d 2 
 2
 V j  j ( x )  E j ( x )
 2m d x 
ikj x i k j x
the general solutions ：  j ( x )  A j e

 Aj e
2m( E  V j )
where jk 


Aj & Aj correspond to waves traveling forward and backward in jth regi

on, respectively

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

 
the relationship between the coefficients A j 1 & A j are determined by ap
plying the boundary conditions at the interface ：

 j 1 ( x) | x  x j   j ( x) | x  x j &  j 1 ( x) | x  x j   j ( x) | x  x j

 
kj 
kj
→ A 
j 1 A 
j 1

A A
j

j & A j 1 A j 1  A 
j A j
k j 1 k j 1

 
  1 1   1  1 1  
1 1 A
 j 1
  kj k j   Aj   A j 1  1 1   kj k j   Aj 
→ 
1  1 A      A j 
→        A j 
   j 1   k k j 1   A j 1  1  1 
 j 1  k j 1 k j 1 

 kj kj 
1  1 
 A j 1   A j 
   Dj   D 
1  k j 1 k j 1 
as a result, it can be found that 　 
 A j 1   Aj 
&
2 1  k j kj 
j

 1 
D j is referred to be the scattering matrix  k j 1 k j 1 

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

we can find that  j ( x  d j )   j ( x)

i k j ( xd j ) i k j ( xd j ) i k x i k x
 Aj e  Aj e  A j e j  A j e j

propagation between potential steps separated by distance d j carries

~
phase information only so that  A j   A j 
    Pj  ~  
 Aj   Aj 

i k j d j
a propagation matrix is defined as P  e 0 
j  ik d 
 0 e j j

the successive operation of the scattering & propagation matrices leads

~
 A0   A1   A1   A2 
to     D1     D1P1  ~    D1P1D 2   
 A0   A1   A1   A2 

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

for the general case of N potential steps, the transfer matrix for each
region can be multiplied out to obtain the total transfer matrix
 A0   AN   N 1   AN 
   Q      j j  D N
  D P  
A
 0  AN   j 1   AN 

∵ the quantum particle is introduced from the left, the initial condition is

given by A0  1

if no backward particle can be found on the right side of the total


potential → AN  0
 1  Q11 Q12   AN 
→      
 A0  Q21 Q22   0 

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Transfer Matrix Method

as a consequence, the transmission & reflection coefficients are given

by

 2 1  2 | Q21 |2
T | A | N & R |A | 
0
| Q11 |2 | Q11 |2

those can be used to calculate the transmission & reflection probability

of a quantum particle through an arbitrary 1D potential

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

consider a particle of energy E and mass m that are sent from the left
on a potential barrier
0 x  0

V ( x )  VB 0  x  L
0 x  L


V (x)

VB

0 L
Figure 6.2 Sketch of the quantum scattering of a 1D rectangular barrier of energy VB

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

With  A0   AN   N 1   AN 

   Q      j j  D N
  D P  
A
 0  AN   j 1   AN 

the total matrix Q is given by

 k1 k1   k0 k0 
 1 1 1 1
k 0  e 1 0  1  k1 k1 
ik L
1 k0
Q    
2 1  k1 k1   0 ik1L 
e  1  k 0
2 k0 
1 1
 k0 k0   k1 k1 

2mE 2m( E  V B )
where k0  & k1 
 

it simplified as  i  k1 k0   i  k1 k 0  
 
cos(k1 L)     sin(k1 L)  
 k  k  sin(k1 L) 
 2 k
 0 k1  2  0 1  
Q 
 
 i  k k  i  k k 
   sin(k1 L)
1 0
cos(k1 L)     sin(k1 L)
1 0
 2  k0 k1  2  k 0 k1  

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

transmission probability in the case E  VB

1
1  1  k k 
2

T 2
  cos (k1 L)     sin (k1 L) 
2 1 0 2

| Q11 |  4  k0 k1  

1
  k
1 0 k1 
2

  1     sin (k1 L) 
2

 4  k1 k0  

in terms of energy E and potential VB

1
 1 VB2 2 2m( E  V B ) 
→ T   1  sin 
 L 
 4 E ( E  VB )   

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

transmission probability in the case E  VB

T  1 occurs whenever ：

 2 m( E  V B )   2  n 
2
sin  L   0  E  V B   
   2 m  L 

with n  1, 2, 3

the condition T  1 corresponds to resonances in transmission that occ

ur when quantum waves back-scattered from the step change in barrier
potential at positions &x0 xL
interfere and exactly cancel each oth
er, resulting in zero reflection from the potential barrier

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

transmission probability in the case E  VB

(1) when E  VB, the transmission probability T → 1

the particles are nearly not affected by the barrier & have total

transmission

(2) in the limit case , we have

E  VB  
sin 2m( E  VB ) L /   2m( E  V B ) L / 

1
→  1 VB2  2 m( E  V B )   m VB L2 
1

lim T  lim  1  sin 2  L    1 

E VB E VB
 4 E ( E  VB )     2 2 

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

transmission probability in the case E  VB

the wave number k1 becomes imaginary, k1  i 1 with  1  2m(VB  E ) / 

1
1  
1 k 0 1 
2

→ T   1     sinh (1 L) 
2

| Q11 |2  4  1 k 0  
1
 1 VB2  2m(VB  E )  
  1 2
sinh  L 
 4 E (V  E )   
B  

if  1

2m(V B  E ) L /   1 → sinh 2m(VB  E ) L /   exp[ 2m( E  VB ) L /  ]
2

16 E  E   2m(VB  E ) 
T 1   exp  2 L
→ VB  VB    

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

The Potential Barrier

transmission probability in the case E  VB

Transmission coefficient VB = 0.1 eV

L = 1 nm L = 2 nm

L = 5 nm

E (eV)
Figure 6.3 Transmission probability as a function of particle energy for VB  0.1 eV
and several widths L  1, 2, and 5 nm

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

Scattering of a Wave Package State

 
in terms of A j & A j , the total wave function can be given by

 E ( x)   e i k0 x  A0 e i k0 x  u ( x)

  u( x  x ) u( x
N
  A j e
i k j ( x x j ) i k j ( x  x j )
 A j e j j 1  x)
j 1

where u(x ) is the Heaviside unit step func. , A0  Q21 / Q11, the matrix elem
ent & Q11 are
Q21determined from

 N 1 
Q    D j P j  D N
 j 1 

 
A A
the efficient & j can be found to be given by
j

 Aj  1 
j 1
 1
j   j 1 s
1 1
   D  P D j 1 s 
  A  for j 1
A
 j  s 0   0

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen

One-Dimensional Scattering of Waves

Scattering of a Wave Package State

 Aj  1 
j 1
 1
    D j   P j 1 s D j 1 s   A  for
1 1
j 1
 Aj   s 0   0

 k s1 k s 1 
where 1  1 
1 1 ks ks 
Ds    for s 1
2 1  k s 1 1  k s1 
 ks k s 

e i k s d s
1 0 
P 
s  for s  1
 0 e i k s d s 

j 1
x j   ds for j 1
s 0

1 1
and the identities D 0  P0  I & d 0  0 are used to express the equatio
n in a general form

2006 Quantum Mechanics Prof. Y. F. Chen