Solutions to Problems in Merzbacher,

Quantum Mechanics, Third Edition

Homer Reid
June 24, 2000
Chapter 6
Problem 6.1
Obtain the transmission coecient for a rectangular potential barrier of width 2a
if the energy exceeds the height V
0
of the barrier. Plot the transmission coecient
as a function E/V
0
(up to E/V
0
= 3), choosing (2ma
2
V
0
)
1/2
= (3/2).
In the text, Merzbacher treats this problem for the case where the particles
energy is less than the potential barrier. He obtains the result
M
11
=
_
cosh2a +
i
2
sinh 2a
_
e
2ika
(1)
where
=
_
2m(V
0
E)

2
and
=

k

k

. (2)
We can re-use the result (1) for the case where the energy is greater than
the potential barrier. To do this we note that becomes imaginary in this case,
and we write
= i = i
_
2m(E V
0
)

2
so that (2) becomes
=
i
k

k
i
= i
_

k
+
k

_
i
1
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 2
Plugging into (1) and noting that coshix = cos x, sinhix = i sinx we have
M
11
=
_
cos 2a
i
2
sin 2a
_
e
2ika
.
and
|M
11
| =
_
cos
2
2a +

2
4
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
1 +
_

2
4
1
_
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
1 +
_

4
+k
4
4
2
k
2

1
2
_
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
1 +
_
(
2
k
2
)
2
4
2
k
2
_
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
1 +
_
V
2
0
4E(E V
0
)
_
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
1 +
_
1
4( 1)
_
sin
2
a
_
1/2
=
_
4( 1) + sin
2
a
4( 1)
_
1/2
where = E/V
0
.
We have
a =
_
2m
h
2
(E V
0
)
_
1/2
a
=
_
2mV
0
a
2
h
2
_
1/2
( 1)
1/2
=
3
2
( 1)
1/2
so the transmission coecient is
T =
1
|M
11
|
2
=
_
4( 1)
4( 1) + sin
2
_
3
2
( 1)
1/2

_
This is plotted in Figure 1.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 3
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
T
r
a
n
s
m
i
s
s
i
o
n

C
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
E/V0
Figure 1: Transmission coecient versus E/V
0
for Problem 6.1.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 4
Problem 6.2
Consider a potential V = 0 for x > a, V = V
0
for a x 0, and V = +
for x < 0. Show that for x > a the positive energy solutions of the Schr odinger
equation have the form
e
i(kx+2)
e
ikx
Calculate the scattering coecient |1 e
2i
|
2
and show that it exhibits maxima
(resonances) at certain discrete energies if the potential is suciently deep and
broad.
We have
(x) =
_

_
0, x 0
Ae
ik1x
+Be
ik1x
, 0 x a
Ce
ik2x
+De
ik2x
, a x
with
k
1
=
_
2m(E +V
0
)

2
k
2
=
_
2mE

2
.
Applying the requirement that be continuous at x = 0, we see we must take
A = B, so (x) = sin k
1
x for 0 x a. The other standard requirement,
that the derivative of also be continuous, does not hold at x = 0 because the
potential is innite there. Hence is undetermined as yet. Eventually, we could
apply the normalization condition on to nd if we wanted to.
Next applying continutity of and its derivative at x = a, we obtain
sin k
1
a = Ce
ik2a
+De
ik
2
a
k
1
cos k
1
a = ik
2
[Ce
ik2a
De
ik
2
a
]
Combining these yields
C =
1
2i
e
ik2a
_
k
1
k
2
cos k
1
a +i sink
1
a
_
(3)
D =
1
2i
e
+ik2a
_
k
1
ik
2
cos k
1
a i sink
1
a
_
(4)
Its now convenient to write
k
1
k
2
cos k
1
a +i sink
1
a = e
i
(5)
where

2
=
_
k
1
k
2
_
2
cos
2
k
1
a + sin
2
k
1
a (6)
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 5
and
= tan
1
_
k
2
k
1
tank
1
a
_
so that contains magnitude information, while represents phase information.
Then we can rewrite (3) and (4) as
C =

2i
e
ik2a
e
i
D =

2i
e
+ik2a
e
i
Then the expression for the wavefunction to the left of x = a becomes
(x) = Ce
ik2x
+De
ik2x
(x > a)
=

2i
_
e
ik2(xa)
e
i
e
ik2(xa)
e
i
_
=

2i
e
i
_
e
ik2(xa)
e
2i
e
ik2(xa)
_
.
Using (5) and (6), the scattering coecient is
|1 e
2i
|
2
=

1
_
k1
k2
_
2
cos
2
k
1
a + 2i
k1
k2
cos k
1
a sin k
1
a sin
2
k
1
a
_
k1
k2
_
2
cos
2
k
1
a + sin
2
k
1
a

2
=

2 sink
1
a
_
sin k
1
a i
k1
k2
cos k
1
a
_
_
k1
k2
_
2
cos
2
k
1
a + sin
2
k
1
a

2
=
4 sin
2
k
1
a
_
k1
k2
_
2
cos
2
k
1
a + sin
2
k
1
a
(7)
We have
_
k
1
k
2
_
2
=
E +V
0
E
=
_
1 +
1

_
k
1
a =
_
2ma
2
(E +V
0
)

2
= ( + 1)
1/2
where = E/V
0
and = (2ma
2
V
0
/
2
)
1/2
in Merzbachers notation. Then the
scattering coecient (7) is
scattering coecient =
4 sin
2
[( + 1)
1/2
]
(1 +
1

)
2
cos
2
[( + 1)
1/2
] + sin
2
[( + 1)
1/2
]
In Figure 6.2 I have plotted this for = 25.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 6
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
S
c
a
t
t
e
r
i
n
g

c
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t
E/V0
Figure 2: Scattering coecient versus E/V
0
for Problem 6.2.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 7
Problem 6.3
A particle of mass m moves in the one-dimensional double well potential
V (x) = g(x a) g(x +a).
If g > 0, obtain transcendental equations for the bound-state energy eigenvalues of
the system. Compute and plot the energy levels in units of
2
/ma
2
as a function of
the dimensionless parameter mag/
2
. Explain the features of the plot. In the limit
of large separation, 2a, between the wells, obtain a simple formula for the splitting
E between the ground state (even parity) energy level, E
+
, and the excited (odd
parity) energy level, E

.
In this problem, we can divide the x axis into three regions. In each region,
the wavefunction is just the solution to the free-particle Schr odinger equation,
but with energy E < 0 since were looking for bound states. Putting k =
_
2mE/
2
, we have
(x) =
_
_
_
Ae
kx
+Be
kx
, x a
Ce
kx
+De
kx
, a x a
Ee
kx
+Fe
kx
, a x.
Now, rst of all, the wavefunction cant blow up at innity, so B = E = 0.
Also, since the potential in this problem has mirror-reversal symmetry, the
wavefunction will have denite parity. Considering rst the even parity solution,
(x) =
_
_
_
Ae
kx
, x a
Bcosh(kx), a x a
Ae
kx
, a x.
(8)
Matching the value of the wavefunction at x = a gives
Ae
ka
= Bcosh(ka). (9)
Since the potential becomes innite at x = a, the normal derivative-continuity
condition doesnt hold there. Instead, we can write down the Schr odinger equa-
tion,
d
2
dx
2
(x) =
2m

2
V (x)(x)
2m

2
E(x),
then integrate from a to a + and take the limit as 0. This gives
d
dx

a+
a
=
2mg

2
(a). (10)
Applying this condition to the wavefunction (8) yields
kBsinh(ka) kAe
ka
=
2mg

2
Bcosh(ka).
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 8
Substituting from (9),
kBsinh(ka) kBcosh(ka) =
2mg

2
Bcosh(ka)
or
tanh(ka) =
2mg

2
k
1 =

ka
1
with = 2mag/
2
. This equation determines the energy eigenvalue of the even-
parity state, which will be the ground state. On the other hand, the odd parity
state looks like
(x) =
_
_
_
Ae
kx
, x a
Bsinh(kx), a x a
Ae
kx
, a x.
(11)
Matching values at x = a gives
Ae
ka
= Bsinh(ka)
and applying condition (10) gives
kBcosh(ka) kAe
ka
=
2mg

2
Bsinh(ka)
kBcosh(ka) +kBsinh(ka) =
2mg

2
Bsinh(ka)
coth(ka) =

ka
1
so this is the condition that determines the energy of the odd parity state.
In Figure (3) I have plotted tanh(ka), coth(ka), and /(ka) 1 for the case
= 3. As expected, the coth curve crosses the /(ka) 1 curve at a lower value
of ka than the tanh curve; that means that the energy eigenvalue for the odd
parity state is smaller in magnitude (less negative) than the even parity state.
Problem 6.4
Problem 3 provides a primitive model for a one-electron linear diatomic molecule
with interatomic distance 2a = |X|, if the potential energy of the molecule is
taken as E

(|X|), supplemented by a repulsive interaction g/|X| between the wells

(atoms). Show that, for a suciently small value of , the system (molecule)
is stable if the particle (electron) is in the even parity state. Sketch the total
potential energy of the system as a function of |X|.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 9
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
P
S
f
r
a
g
r
e
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
s
tanh(ka)
coth(ka)
/(ka) 1
ka
Figure 3: Graphical determination of energy levels for Problem 6.3 with = 3.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 10
Problem 6.5
If the potential in Problem 3 has g < 0 (double barrier), calculate the transmission
coecient and show that it exhibits resonances. (Note the analogy between the
system and the Fabry-Perot etalon in optics.)
Now were assuming that the energy E is positive, so
(x) =
_

_
Ae
ikx
+Be
ikx
x a
Ce
ikx
+De
ikx
a x a
Ee
ikx
+Fe
ikx
a x
(12)
with k =
_
2mE/
2
. Matching values at x = a, we have
Ae
ika
+Be
ika
= C
ika
+D
ika
(13)
Also, as before, we have the derivative condition
d
dx

x=a+
x=a
=
2mg

2
(a)
where g is now negative. Applying this to the wavefunction in (12), we have
ik[Ce
ika
De
ika
Ae
ika
+Be
ika
] =
2mg

2
[Ae
ika
+Be
ika
]. (14)
Combining (13) and (14) yields
C =
_
1 +

ika
_
A+

ika
e
2ka
B (15)
D =

ika
e
2ka
A+
_
1

ika
_
B (16)
with = mag/
2
as before.
Now, applying the matching conditions to the wavefunction at x = +a will
give two equations exactly like (13) and (14), but with the substitutions A C,
B D, C E, D F, and a a. Making these substitutions in (15) and
(16) we obtain
E =
_
1

ika
_
C

ika
e
2ka
D (17)
F = +

ika
e
2ka
C +
_
1 +

ika
_
D (18)
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 11
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
P
S
f
r
a
g
r
e
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
s
ka
T
(
k
)
Figure 4: Transmission coecient in Problem 6.4 with = 15.
Combining equations (15) through (18), we have
E =
_
1 +
_

ika
_
2
(e
4ika
1)
_
A+ +
_
2
ka
_
1

ika
_
sin2ka
_
B
F =
_
2
ka
_
1 +

ika
_
sin 2ka
_
A+
_
1 +
_

ika
_
2
(e
4ika
1)
_
B
This is the M matrix, and the transmission coecient is given by T = 1/|M
11
|
2
,
or
T =
1
1 + 2
_

ka
_
2
_
_

ka
_
2
+ 1
_
(1 cos(4ka))
In Figure 4 I have plotted this for = 15.
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 12
Problem 6.6
A particle moves in one dimension with energy E in the eld of a potential dened
as the sum of a Heaviside step function and a delta function:
V (x) = V
0
(x) +g(x) (with V
0
and g > 0)
The particle is assumed to have energy E > V
0
.
(a) Work out the matrix M, which relates the amplitudes of the incident and
reected plane waves on the left of the origin (x < 0) to the amplitudes on
the right (x > 0).
(b) Derive the elements of the matrix S, which relates incoming and outgoing
amplitudes.
(c) Show that the S matrix is unitary and that the elements of the S matrix satisfy
the properties expected from the applicable symmetry considerations.
(d) Calculate the transmission coecient for particles incident from the right and
for particles incident from the left, which have the same energy (buf dierent
velocities).
We have
(x) =
_
Ae
ik1x
+Be
ik1x
, x 0
Ce
ik2x
+De
ik2x
, x 0
with
k
1
=
_
2m

2
E k
2
=
_
2m

2
(E V
0
).
Matching values at x = 0 gives
C +D = A+B (19)
Also, the delta function at the origin gives rise to a discontinuity in the derivative
of the wavefunction as before:
d
dx

0+
0
=
2mg

2
(0)
so
ik
2
(C D) ik
1
(AB) =
2mg

2
(A+B)
or
C D =
k
1
k
2
(AB) +
2mg
ik
2

2
(A+B). (20)
Homer Reids Solutions to Merzbacher Problems: Chapter 6 13
Adding and subtracting (19) and (20), we can read o
C =
1
2
_
1 +
k
1
k
2
+
2mg
ik
2

2
_
A+
1
2
_
1
k
1
k
2
+
2mg
ik
2

2
_
B
D =
1
2
_
1
k
1
k
2

2mg
ik
2

2
_
A
1
2
_
1 +
k
1
k
2

2mg
ik
2

2
_
B.
We could also write this as
_
C
D
_
=
_
M
11
M
12
M

12
M

11
__
A
B
_
Or instead of the M matrix we could use the S matrix, which is dened by
_
B
C
_
=
_
S
11
S
12
S
21
S
22
__
A
D
_
Since we already know the M coecients, we can calculate the elements of the
S matrix from the formula
S
11
=
M

12
M

11
S
12
=
1
M

11
S
21
=
1
M

11
S
22
= +
M12
M

11
However, this is tedious and long and boring and I dont want to do it.