The University of the West Indies

Mona

Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences

Department of Physics
Modern Physics 1
(PHYS 2350/ P23F)
Semester 1- 2011
Name: Patrick McLeod,
Lab Number: 4
Title: Energy Levels in a Quantum Well
Submission Date: November 28, 2012

Title:
Energy Levels in a Quantum Well
Aim:
To investigate the variation of the energy levels with the width of the gaAs
layer in a gaAs quantum well.
Procedure:
Provided in manual, method 1 and method 3 where chosen.
Results/tables:
TABLE OF RESULT FOR METHOD 3

Y
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5

Ya
5
4.9959984
4.98397432
4.96386946
4.93558507
4.89897949
4.85386444
4.8
4.73708771
4.66476152
4.58257569
4.48998886
4.38634244
4.2708313
4.14246304
4
3.84187454
3.66606056
3.46987031
3.24961536
3
2.71293199
2.37486842
1.95959179
1.4
0

TABLE OF RESULT FOR METHOD 1

Ys
0
-1.9933289
-1.973262
-1.9396369
-1.8921779
-1.8304877
-1.7540351
-1.6621386
-1.5539434
-1.4283921
-1.2841852
-1.1197298
-0.933071
-0.7218007
-0.4829348
-0.2127445
0.09347833
0.44175338
0.83989273
1.29821435
1.83063022
2.45636079
3.20274141
4.11002853
5.24009293
6.69324064

r
0
0.02006693
0.08108401
0.18560175
0.33823457
0.54630249
0.82096417
1.17920373
1.64742169
2.26828479
3.11481545
4.32247125
6.17316389
9.36546636
16.2340744
42.3042598
-109.5441
-26.168447
-15.430542
-11.122971
-8.7401595
-7.1813555
-6.0448214
-5.1483828
-4.3968686
-3.7351115

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

f1(x)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5

1
0.98006658
0.92106099
0.82533561
0.69670671
0.54030231
0.36235775
0.16996714
-0.0291995
-0.2272021
-0.4161468
-0.5885011
-0.7373937
-0.8568888
-0.9422223
-0.9899925
-0.9982948
-0.9667982
-0.8967584
-0.7909677
-0.6536436
-0.4902608
-0.3073329
-0.1121525
0.08749898
0.28366219

f2a(x)

f2b(x)
-1
-0.96
-0.84
-0.64
-0.36
0
0.44
0.96
1.56
2.24
3
3.84
4.76
5.76
6.84
8
9.24
10.56
11.96
13.44
15
16.64
18.36
20.16
22.04
24

r
1
0.96
0.84
0.64
0.36
0
-0.44
-0.96
-1.56
-2.24
-3
-3.84
-4.76
-5.76
-6.84
-8
-9.24
-10.56
-11.96
-13.44
-15
-16.64
-18.36
-20.16
-22.04
-24

Title: graph showing plot of y values found in method 1 and method 3 against x

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

24
22
20
18
16
14

Y
Series2
f2a(x)

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

Calculations:

L = 7.0 nm
The data is taken from figure 1. Vo = 0.28 eV.
For GaAs, m = 0.066 me, where me is the mass of the electron.
Data Analysis:
r = 0.69636 L
L = 7.0 nm
r = 0.69636 (7 x 10-9m)
r = 4.87452 x 10-9m
r = 4.87nm

x = k 2 L = 1.316

Minimum of x:
L
x = 1.316
E
Where L is 0 nm and E varies from 0 to 0.28.
x = 1.316

x 7 x 10-9m x
0

xmin = 0
Maximum of x:
L
x = 1.316
E
Where L is 0 nm and E varies from 0 to 0.28.
x = 1.316

x 7 x 10-9m x

xmax = 4.87 x 10-9

0.28

Discussion:
Questions:
1) Substituting the various quantities, along with their units, show how Eq. (8)
simplifies to Eq. (9), both numerically and in units.
Given: c = 197 eV nm & me = 0.511 MeV/c2

2mL2 E
2

x = k2 L =

L is in nm, E is in eV,

Eq 8
c = 197 eV nm, me = 0.511 MeV/c2

x2 = 2mL2E
2
x2 = 2mc2L2E
2c 2

x2 = 2 x 0.066 me x c2 x L2 nm2 E eV
1972 eV2 nm2
x2 = 2 x 0.066 x 0.511x 106 (L2 E)
1972
x2 = 1.738 (L2 E)
x = 1.316 L

... Eq 9

E
y = K1 L =

2mL2 (V0 E )
2

... Eq 8

E varies from 0 to 0.28, L is in nm, E is in eV,

MeV/c2.
y2 = 2m2L2 (Vo E)
2

c = 197 eV nm, me = 0.511

y2 = 2m2c2L2 (Vo E)
c2
2

y2 = 2 x 0.066 me x c2 x L2 (Vo E) nm2 eV

1972 eV2 nm2

y2 = 2 x 0.066 x 0.511x 106 (0.28 - E)

1972
y2 = 1.738 (0.28 - E)
y = 1.316 L

0.28 E

Eq 9

2) Obtain Eq. 12b.

3) If xi is a point of intersection of the two curves, show that the corresponding

eigenvalue, Ei (in eV) inside the potential well is:
xi2
Ei =
1.73 L2

xi=2.3
Ei = 6.24 x 10 j
xi=4.3
Ei = 2.2 x 10 j

4)Derive (13) & (14) or (15) & (16).

5)