Potential well

2 Quantum connement

A generic potential energy well.

A potential well is the region surrounding a local minimum of potential energy. Energy captured in a potential
well is unable to convert to another type of energy (kinetic
energy in the case of a gravitational potential well) because it is captured in the local minimum of a potential
well. Therefore, a body may not proceed to the global
minimum of potential energy, as it would naturally tend
to due to entropy.

Quantum connement is responsible for the increase of energy

dierence between energy states and band gap. A phenomenon
tightly related with the optical and electronic properties of the
materials.

Quantum connement can be observed once the diameter of a material is of the same magnitude as the
de Broglie wavelength of the electron wave function.[1]
When materials are this small, their electronic and optical properties deviate substantially from those of bulk
materials.[2]

Overview

Energy may be released from a potential well if sucient

energy is added to the system such that the local maximum is surmounted. In quantum physics, potential energy may escape a potential well without added energy
due to the probabilistic characteristics of quantum particles; in these cases a particle may be imagined to tunnel
through the walls of a potential well.

A particle behaves as if it were free when the conning

dimension is large compared to the wavelength of the particle. During this state, the bandgap remains at its original energy due to a continuous energy state. However,
as the conning dimension decreases and reaches a certain limit, typically in nanoscale, the energy spectrum becomes discrete. As a result, the bandgap becomes sizeThe graph of a 2D potential energy function is a potential dependent. This ultimately results in a blueshift in light
energy surface that can be imagined as the Earths sur- emission as the size of the particles decreases.
face in a landscape of hills and valleys. Then a potential
well would be a valley surrounded on all sides with higher Specically, the eect describes the phenomenon resultterrain, which thus could be lled with water (e.g., be ing from electrons and electron holes being squeezed into
a lake) without any water owing away toward another, a dimension that approaches a critical quantum measurement, called the exciton Bohr radius. In current applilower minimum (e.g. sea level).
cation, a quantum dot such as a small sphere connes in
In the case of gravity, the region around a mass is a grav- three dimensions, a quantum wire connes in two dimenitational potential well, unless the density of the mass is sions, and a quantum well connes only in one dimension.
so low that tidal forces from other masses are greater than These are also known as zero-, one- and two-dimensional
the gravity of the body itself.
potential wells, respectively. In these cases they refer to
A potential hill is the opposite of a potential well, and is the number of dimensions in which a conned particle
the region surrounding a local maximum.
can act as a free carrier. See external links, below, for ap1

plication examples in biotechnology and solar cell technology.

2.1

Quantum mechanics view

See also: Particle in a box

he electronic and optical properties of materials are
aected by size and shape. Well-established technical
achievements including quantum dots were derived from
size manipulation and investigation for their theoretical
corroboration on quantum connement eect.[3] The major part of the theory is the behaviour of the exciton resembles that of an atom as its surrounding space shortens.
A rather good approximation of an excitons behaviour is
the 3-D model of a particle in a box.[4] The solution of
this problem provides a sole mathematical connection between energy states and the dimension of space. It is obvious that decreasing the volume or the dimensions of the
available space, the energy of the states increase. Shown
in the diagram is the change in electron energy level and
bandgap between nanomaterial and its bulk state.

REFERENCES

p = n

= 2H
(
)
1
1
=
+
R1
R2
Under the assumption of spherical shape R1=R2=R and
resolving Young Laplace equation for the new radii
R(nm) we estimate the new P(GPa). The smaller the
R, the greater the pressure it is. The increase in pressure
at the nanoscale results in strong forces toward the interior of the particle. Consequently, the molecular structure of the particle appears to be dierent from the bulk
mode, especially at the surface. These abnormalities at
the surface are responsible for changes of inter-atomic
interactions and bandgap.[6][7]

3 See also
Quantum well
Finite potential well

Quantum dot
The following equation shows the relationship between
energy level and dimension spacing:
(
) (
) (
)

ny y
nz z 4
x x
References
nx ,ny ,nz = Lx L8y Lz sin nL
sin
sin
Ly
Lz
x
[( )
( )2 ( )2 ]
2
n
nx
nz
2 2
[1] M. Cahay (2001). Quantum Connement VI: NanostrucEnx ,ny ,nz = 2m
+ Lyy + L
Lx
z
[5]

Research results provide an alternative explanation of

the shift of properties at nanoscale. In the bulk phase,
the surfaces appear to control some of the macroscopically observed properties. However in nanoparticles, surface molecules do not obey the expected conguration in
space. As a result, surface tension changes tremendously.

2.2

Classical mechanics view

tured Materials and Devices : Proceedings of the International Symposium. The Electrochemical Society. ISBN
978-1-56677-352-2. Retrieved 19 June 2012.

[2] Hartmut Haug; Stephan W. Koch (1994). Quantum Theory of the Optical and Electronic Properties of Semiconductors. World Scientic. ISBN 978-981-02-2002-0. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
[3] Norris, DJ; Bawendi, MG (1996).
Measurement
and assignment of the size-dependent optical spectrum in CdSe quantum dots. Physical Review B 53
(24): 1633816346. Bibcode:1996PhRvB..5316338N.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.53.16338. PMID 9983472.
[4] Brus, L. E. (1983). A simple model for the ionization potential, electron anity, and aqueous redox potentials of small semiconductor crystallites.
The Journal of Chemical Physics 79 (11): 5566.
Bibcode:1983JChPh..79.5566B. doi:10.1063/1.445676.

The classical mechanic explanation employs Young-Laplace law

to provide evidence on how Pressure drop advances from scale
to scale.

The Young-Laplace equation can give a background on

the investigation of the scale of forces applied to the surface molecules:

[5] Kunz, A B; Weidman, R S; Collins, T C (1981).

Pressure-induced modications of the energy band structure of crystalline CdS. Journal of Physics C: Solid State
Physics 14 (20): L581. Bibcode:1981JPhC...14L.581K.
doi:10.1088/0022-3719/14/20/004.
[6] H. Kurisu, T. Tanaka, T. Karasawa and T. Komatsu
(1993). Pressure induced quantum conned excitons in layered metal triiodide crystals. Jpn. J.
Appl.
Phys.
32 (Supplement 321): 285287.
doi:10.7567/jjaps.32s1.285.

[7] Lee, Chieh-Ju; Mizel, Ari; Banin, Uri; Cohen, Marvin L.; Alivisatos, A. Paul (2000).
Observation
of pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap transition in InP nanocrystals. The Journal of Chemical
Physics 113 (5): 2016. Bibcode:2000JChPh.113.2016L.
doi:10.1063/1.482008.

External links
Buhro WE, Colvin VL (2003). Semiconductor nanocrystals: Shape matters. Nat Mater
2 (3): 1389. Bibcode:2003NatMa...2..138B.
doi:10.1038/nmat844. PMID 12612665.
Semiconductor Fundamental
Band Theory of Solid
Quantum dots synthesis
Biological application

6 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

6.1

Text

Potential well Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential%20well?oldid=645545720 Contributors: Bdesham, Patrick, Fuelbottle, Jrdioko, LucasVB, RetiredUser2, Rgrg, D6, Goochelaar, Laurascudder, KronicDeth, Grick, Bantman, Fasten, Linas, Rjwilmsi, Mgrueter,
Chobot, YurikBot, Bob Stromberg, Jryden, SmackBot, Bill3000, RDBrown, DroEsperanto, Sadi Carnot, Spiritia, Euchiasmus, Nitromaster101, Pavithran, CmdrObot, Manuelkuhs, Unmitigated Success, Cydebot, Ohgrebo, Headbomb, Father Goose, TheNoise, Aleksander.adamowski, R'n'B, Tdadamemd, Inteloutside2, SieBot, SchreiberBike, Rswarbrick, JiminyX, XLinkBot, MystBot, Pozdneev,
Addbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Adi, Kulmalukko, Crystal whacker, Materialscientist, Yshen8, LucienBOT, Ysyoon, Pvkwiki, Alph Bot,
Newty23125, ZroBot, JoeSperrazza, Donner60, ClueBot NG, Mudarahmed, Helpful Pixie Bot, Bibcode Bot, Rob Hurt, Kenanwang,
Anrnusna and Anonymous: 39

6.2

Images

File:Potential_energy_well.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Potential_energy_well.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Based upon Image:Potential well.png, created by User:Koantum. This version created by bdesham in Inkscape.
Original artist: Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham)
File:Quantum_confinement_1.png Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Quantum_confinement_1.png License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Yshen8
File:Quantum_confinement_2.png Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Quantum_confinement_2.png License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Yshen8

6.3

Content license

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