4.
4/POTENTIALBARRIER OF FINITE WIDTH AND HEIGHT (Tunnel Efect)
Letus consider a paricle incident on a barrier ofthe type shown in fig. having width 'a' and with the
condition that the energEy of particte E< Vo and the barrier potential is given by
0 for x<0
(region I)
V) = {V for 0<x<a (regionID
ofor x>0 (region I)
Vxo-V
INCIDENT WAVE
AAAAAF AAAA
TRANSMITTED WAVE
REFLECTED WAVE
Fig. 4.7
Classical view
Classically, the particle in region I can move freely because the potential is zero in this region and
since its energy E is less than the barrier potential
it will be reflected back in region I at r = 0.
Vo (E< Vo), so it cannot penetrate the region II hence
Quantum mechanieal view
Since potential Vo does not depend time, time
on so we can use
to find the motion of the particle in' regions I, II and III.
independent Schrodinger equation
Schrodinger time independent one dimensional wave equation (along x-axis) is given by
0
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS OF SCHRODINGER EQUATION
117
In reglon I. V=0
So Eq. (1) becomes
or
2)
where
k 2mE (3)
In reglon II. V Vo
So Eq. (1) becomes
2mEVop =0
of
ax
.4)
where k2 2mYo-) (5)
In region IlL V= 0
So Eq. (1) becomes
or +dx = .6)
The general solution of Eqs. (2), (4) and (6) may be written as
i = Aek" + Bek* (7)
V = CE+De* .8)
Vl= Fe + Gekx
In region III, the term Geik is rejected because there is nothing in region IIl to cause a reflection
of wave and there is only a transmitted wave.
So VI= Fe* .9)
conditions.
The value of A, B, C, D and F can be determined by using boundary
Boundary conditions
conditions are that the eigen functions and its first derivative
In the given situation the boundary
should be finite, single valued and continuous
O and x = a
be finite and continuous at
=
x
() must
i.e. vil-- [Pn, -o and [v-. lPml, -
118 MODERN'S ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS (B.B.
From Eq. (), (8) and (9), we have
Atx= 0
A+B C+D
and Arx =a (10)
(11)
)must befinite and continuous at x 0andx = = a
ie.
From Eq. (7), (8) and (9), we have
dx-a
Atx = 0
ik A-ik B =-k2C+ kaD
O
A-B-C-D)
A-B-iC-D) (12)
Atx =a
-tCek +kDet"= ik,Fe
or -cDee F * (13)
Adding and subtracting eqs. (11) and (13), we get
(14)
and c ..(15)
Putting the values of C and D in equation (10), we get
A+B Fe A
or A+B Fek cosh(kza)- isinh
2
(kza) .(16)
Putting the value of C and D in equation (12), we get
A-Bi
Fe2sinh kza +cosh kza
A-B Fcosh kga +inh kge ..(17)
119
SIMPLE SOLUTnONS OF SCHRODINGER EQUATION
Adding and subtracting equations (16) and (17), we get
(18)
A Fecoah (h0)+ ainbdka
e .(19)
and B Ano)
The lst term of equation (7) represents incident wave, 2nd term represents the
reflected wave and
equation (9) represents the transmitted wave
(20)
ie. Pin A*
(21)
PreBe
and 22)
Fe
Reflectlon coeficient (R)
current to the incident
The refection coefficient is equal to the ratio of reflected probabiliy density
probabiliny density current.
ie. p_
R Reflected probability density curent
Incident probability density current
Ac Ae-4
R BB
RAA
Using equation (18) and (19), we get
sinh(a)
R
F cosh()+ sinh (to)
siaha ..(23)
R
4coahde)+ inah
Eq. (23) measure the probability that the particle is reflected from the barrier.
Transmission coefncent (1)
The transmission coeficiènt is equal to the ratio of transmited probabiliry densiry current to the
incident probability density curen
T
Transmitted probability density current
.e.
Incident probability density current
Or T V
vinVin
FF
TAAe
or
T AA
Using Eq.(18), we get
T FF
F cOhha) * inh' l40)
1+sinh k2a)+-4sinh ka cosh|+sinh x
a)
I+sinh
1+sinh 1+-
2
or T
+i unh
2442 sinhlk
"(k2a)
Putting the value of ki and k2 from E4. (3) and (5), we get
T
1+
4EV- sinh2mVo-E (24)
"a
Thus T* 0, hence we can
say that the particle has certain
reach the region III, which is probability of penetrating the barrier and
contradictory
tunnel efect which may be stated as under:
to the classical
prediction. The transmission is based on
fa particle is impingirg on a barrier with
energy less than the
not necessarily be
totally reflected by the barrier but there is alwaysheight of the potential barrier, it will
barrier and continue its forward motion.
(Fig. 4.8).
a
probabiliry that it may crass the
The tunnel effect can be
in
understood
terms of the
uncertainty principle; if we
say that the incident particle cannot enter
the barrier, then the
uncertainty Ar in
its
position must be 0 there. But since
Ar Ap 2 the
h/2. corresponding
uncertainty Ap in the particle's
momentum must be infinite inside the
barrier. An infinite
that p, and E
uncertainity inp means
as well, must be
A
which is not compatible with theinfinite,
finite
momentum and energy of the
Therefore, the particle must be particle.
able to
enter the barrier, and once inside
it has
the possibility of continuing on. Fig. 4.8
The tunnel effect actually occurs,
nuclei. An alpha particle whose kinetic notably in the case of alpha particles emitted by certuin radioactive
energy is only a few MeV is able to escape from a nucleus
SIMPLE 6OLUTIONS OF SCHRODINGER EQUATION
121
whose potential wall is perhaps 25-MeV high. The probability of escape is so small that the alpha
particle might have to strike the wall 1038 or more times before it emerges, but sooner or later it does get
out. Tunneling also Occurs in the operation of certain semiconductor diodes in which electrons pass
through the potential barriers even though their kinetic energies are smaller than the barrier heights.
