THE BARRIER

POTENTIAL
Chapter 6.5
ROBERT EISBERG
Quantum Mechanics:
&
Chapter 8.3
Ajoy Ghatak
and S. Lokanathan

THE BARRIER POTENTIAL

Classical Mechanics
A particle of total energy E in the region x < 0,
Particle will have probability of reflected, If total energy E < V0
Particle will have probability of being transmitted to region x>a, If total
energy E > V0

Quantum Mechanics
Even if E is smaller than V0, quantum mechanics predicts that there
is a certain probability that the particle will be transmitted through
the barrier into the region x > a.
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Case-I E<V0

Where,
Travelling to left:
No Reflection in the region

=0
For E < V0
Real exponentials
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Where,

Boundary conditions

Boundary Condition: matching and

=
At = 0

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

at the points = 0 and

Boundary conditions

Boundary Condition: matching and

=
At =

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

at the points = 0 and

Boundary conditions

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Reflection and Transmission coefficient

Where

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Reflection and Transmission coefficient

Where

=>Very remarkable from the point of view of classical mechanics.

=>T is vanishingly small in the classical limit because quantity , which

is a measure of the opacity of the barrier, is extremely large.

For 1

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Very small
but non-zero

Case-II E > V0

= 1 + 1
Thus we have to replace by 1 , everywhere

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

where

Reflection and transmission coefficients

=3

= 10

Thus whenever the barrier width is a multiple of 1 /2, perfect

transmission occurs.
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Application of Quantun Tunneling: Alpha

Decay
Alpha decay is spontaneous emission of 4
2

from an

unstable nucleus

Two forces acting in nucleus:

Coulomb force: Protons really close together, so very big

repulsion from coulomb force
Nuclear force: (attraction between nuclear particles is
very strong if very close together) - called the STRONG
Force.

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Alpha Decay
Typically found for large atoms with lots of protons and neutrons.

This raises the ratio of neutrons to protons - makes for a more

stable atom.
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

The paradox of alpha decay

Strong
nuclear
force binds
the particle

~30 MeV

r: the nuclear
radius~8x10 -15 m
4.2 MeV

Coulumb repulsion:

V=0 for r

where 2e is the charge of -particle and Ze is the nuclear

charge

How did the alpha particle emitted ?

A paradox in classical mechanics
PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Alpha decay: Quantum tunneling

1928 Gamow, Condon, and Gurney

The probability per

second that a radioactive
nucleus will emit an
particle of
energy E

PYL100 Electromagnetic Waves and Quantum Mechanics

barrier penetration theory