Cohen-Tannoudji Problem 1.

6
Zachary Burell, Vibha Gill, Anthony Morgan January 20, 2009

Problem. Consider a square well potential of width a and depth V0 . We intend

to study the properties of the bound state of a particle in this well when its width a approaches zero. energy E.
a) Show that there indeed exists only one bound state and calculate its b) Show that 0and that A2 = A2 B1 . Deduce from this that, 2

in the bound state, the probability of nding the particle outside the well approaches 1.
c) How can the preceding considerations be applied to a particle placed, as in excercise 2, in the potential V (x) = (x)?

The nite square well, a quick review:

V (x) = V0 , a/2 < x < a/2 0, |x| > a/2

(1)

Where V0 is a positive constant. We consider the bound states (V0 < E < 0) 2 2 ( with eigenenergies given by, Ek = 2m ). In region I the potential is zero so the S.E. is :
2 xx = E 2m

or

xx = 2
2m|E |

(2)

where = x < a/2)

is real and positive. The general solution is ( in region I

I (x) = Ae x + Aex

but the rst term diverges as x so A = 0 Therefore the solution in region I is : I (x) = Aex (3) 1

and

= |E | > 0 2m In region II ( a/2 < x < a/2 , V (x) = V0 ) S.E. is :

2

2 2

2m

xx V0 = E

or Solution in Region II :

xx = k 2

(4) (5)

II (x) = B cos (kx) + C sin(kx)

where( k is real and positive ):

k= 2m (V0 |E |)

(6)

and Region III ( x > a/2 and V0 = 0) Solution is :

III (x) = Dex

(7)

and
k

= |E | > 0 2m 2mV0
2

2 2

and obey the constraint:

k 2 + 2 =

(8)

The parity invariance of the potential allows us to choose the energy eigenstates to be simmoultaneously eigenstates of parity, i.e. odd and even functions ( as
ik can be seen from the fact that = e2ika has two possible solutions, +ik namely eika ). Thus, we have even solutions for 2

C=0 D=A

and odd solutions for

B=0 D = A

Imposing continuity at x = derivatives yields:

a 2

and x =
a 2

a 2

for the

even

solutions and thier (9)

A = Be

cos

ka 2

tan

ka = /k 2 ka 2

(10)

Doing the same for the odd solutions gives:

A = Ce tan ka 2
a 2

sin

(11) (12)

= k/

The Energy eigenvalue conditions can be expressed in a more transparent form if we introduce
ka/2 2mV0 a2 /
2 2

Then we have a =

2 2 and the conditions can be written as tan = 2 1 2

(13)

for the even functions and

tan = 2 2

(14)

for the odd solution. For the even eigenstates, substituting the denitions of and given above and putting V0 = g 2 /2a , we get in the limit a 0
= 2m
2

g2 |E | a2 2

mg 2 a
2

mg 2 a
2

= tan

(15)
2 a |E | g2

and
2 1= 2 g 2 a/2 |E | a2 |E | a2

(16)

Therefore, the eigenvalue equation gives

|E | = mg 4 2 2 mV02 a2 2 2

There is no solution for the odd eigenstate condition, therefore we get one , even, bound state. This can also be seen graphically ( for a 0 , < 2 ) there is only one intersection of the two curves ( see g. 2 ) 3

Figure 1:

10

Figure 2:

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8 x

1.0

1.2

1.4