Physics 137A: Midterm Solutions

February 23, 2011

1
(2)
Let us first solve for the energy eigenstates with E > 0.
~2 00
= E, x < a
2m


~2 00
40~2

= E+
, a < x < 0
2m
ma2

The general solution is

x < a
Aeikx + Beikx
ix
ix
Ce + De
a < x < 0
(x) =

0
x>0
p

in which k = 2mE/~ and = 2m(E + 40~2 /ma2 )/~. Enforcing continuity of the wavefunction
at x = 0 and x = a yields
C +D =0
and
Aeika + Beika = Ceia + Deia = C eia eia

respectively. We may also insist on continuity of the derivative at x = a (but not at x = 0). This
gives



 eia eia
ik Aeika Beika = i Aeika + Beika ia
e
+ eia
Since the scattering state wavefunction is non-normalizable, we cannot go any further. Note that
all values of E > 0 are allowed.
2
Now lets consider solutions with 40~
< E < 0. The general solution is
ma2

x < a
Aekx
Ceix + Deix a < x < 0
(x) =

0
x>0
p

in which k = 2mE/~ and = 2m(40~2 /ma2 + E)/~. Note that we have thrown out the solution which grows without bound in the x < a region. Once again, continuity of the wavefunction
at x = 0 requires
C = D

while continuity at x = a gives

Aeka = C eia eia

so that the wavefunction takes the form

kx

x < a
Ae ka
e
A sin(a) sin(x) a < x < 0
(x) =

0
x>0
Normalization requires
Z
Z
2
|| dx =

0
e2ka
|A|2 2
|A| e dx +
sin2 (x)dx
sin (a)
a



1
cot(a)
a
2ka
= e

+
2k
2
2 sin2 (a)

2keka
= A = p
k cot(a) + ak csc2 (a)

2 2kx

Finally we must insist on continuity of the derivative at x = a, which will fix the allowed values
of the energy.
eka
cos(a)
sin(a)
= k = cot(a)
keka =

(3)
Plugging in the definitions of k and , we find
r
p
1y
tan( 80 1 y) =
y
2

E
in which y ma
. Note that 0 < y < 1. Comparing both sides of the equation, we see that
40~2
there are exactly 3 bound states (plot both sides of the equation to check).

(4)
2

The reflectivity for a scattering state coming in from is nothing but |B|
from part (2), above.
|A|2
Recall that we found



 eia eia
ik Aeika Beika
= i Aeika + Beika ia
+ eia

 e
= Aeika + Beika tan(a)




ik
B 2ika
B 2ika
=
1 e
= tan(a) 1 + e

A
A
B
ik tan(a)
=
= e2ika
A
ik + tan(a)
2

Thus we have
R=

|B|2
2 tan2 (a) + k 2
=
=1
|A|2
2 tan2 (a) + k 2

which makes sense since there is an infinite barrier at x = 0. The probability to escape to x = +
is zero, and the wavefunction has too much energy to be bound, so it must reflect back to x =
with 100% probability.

2
(1)
ikx
e (tanh x + C) = ikeikx (tanh x + C) + eikx sech2 x
x
2 ikx
=
e (tanh x + C) = k 2 eikx (tanh x + C) + ikeikx sech2 x 2eikx sech2 x tanh x
x2
so that



2
2sech2 x = eikx k 2 tanh x + Ck 2 iksech2 x + 2sech2 x tanh x 2sech2 tanh x 2Csech2 x
2
x


= eikx k 2 tanh x + Ck 2 iksech2 x 2Csech2 x
= k2

for C = ik/2. Note that as x , this wavefunction becomes (1 + ik/2)eikx a plane

wave incident from the left. As x , (1 ik/2)eikx , a plane wave travelling to the right.
Thus the transmission coefficient is just
T =

|1 ik/2|2
1 + k 2 /4
=
=1
|1 + ik/2|2
1 + k 2 /4

R + T = 1 = R = 0.

(2)
Note that the above is a solution to the Schrodinger equation with energy E = k 2 for both k and
k. Thus the general solution is
= Aeikx (tanh x ik/2) + Beikx (tanh x + ik/2)
We can get the bound state solutions by taking k ik (equivalent to sending E E). This
gives the general bound-state solution
= Aekx (tanh x + k/2) + Bekx (tanh x k/2)
with energy E = k 2 . In the region x < 0 we may throw out the solution which grows unbounded
as x , and of course we may perform the analogous cut on the x > 0 solution. This gives

Aekx (tanh x k/2)
x<0
=
Bekx (tanh x + k/2) x > 0
3

Continuity at x = 0 requires
A = B
Continuity of the derivative requires
A(1 k 2 /2) = A(1 k 2 /2)
Thus the only bound-state solution is k 2 = 2 = E = 2.

(3)
Since this is the unique bound-state wavefunction, it must also be the ground state. This is further
confirmed by noting that the wavefunction has no nodes, and therefore must be the state of lowest
energy.