Quantum Physics Departament de Fsica de la Matria Condensada

Date: May 19, 2017 Follow-up test: Blocks 3 & 4

Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

P.1 The eigenfunctions of a one-dimensional Hamiltonian H are n (x), n = 1, 2, 3, ,

being En , En = n E1 > 0, the associated eigenvalues. Consider the following wave
function for t = 0,
(x, 0) = N [21 (x) + (2 + i)3 (x)] ,
where N is a real constant. Assuming that every function is properly normalized:

(a) Compute N .
(b) Obtain the expectation value of the energy, and its uncertainty.
(c) Find (x, t).

P.2 Consider the potential in the adjoint figure:

0,
x < 0,
V (x) = V0 , 0 < x < a,

, x > a,

with V0 > 0. A beam of particles of mass m and fixed energy (E > 0) is incident
from the left.

(a) Find the most general solution of the time-independent Schrdinger equation
corresponding to this problem.
(b) Determine the continuity conditions to be satisfied by the free parameters of the
solution.
(c) Compute the reflection coefficient.
 Solution
P.1 (a)
1
1 = N 2 22 + |2 + i|2 = 9N 2 N = .


3
(b)
22 |2 + i|2 19
2
E hEi =
1 + 2
E3 = E1 .
3 3 9
2 2
2 2 2 |2 + i| 2 49 2 p
2 2
4 5
hE i = 2 E1 + E3 = E1 E = hE i hEi = E1 .
3 32 9 9
(c)
2 2+i
(x, t) = 1 (x)eiE1 t/~ + 3 (x)eiE3 t/~ .
3 3
P.2 (a) The general solution is

Ae
ik1 x
+ Beik1 x , x < 0,
(x) = Ceik2 x + Deik2 x , 0 < x < a,

0, x > a.

with p
2mE 2m(E + V0 )
k1 = , k2 = .
~ ~
(b) The solution and its first derivative must be continuous at x = 0, and the solution
must be 0 at x = a. Then, the conditions to be satisfied are

A + B = C + D

k1 (A B) = k2 (C D),

+ Deik2 a = 0.
ik2 a
Ce
(c) In this case, the reflection coefficient is
|B|2
R= .
|A|2
Note that, from the first two continuity conditions, one has
k1 + k2 k1 k2 k1 k2 k1 + k2
A= C+ D, B= C+ D,
2 2 2 2
that is
 2  2
2 k1 + k2 2 k1 k2 k1 + k2 k1 k2
|A| = |C| + |D|2 + (C D + D C) ,
2 2 2 2
and
 2  2
2 k1 k2 2 k1 + k2 k1 + k2 k1 k2
|B| = |C| + |D|2 + (C D + D C) .
2 2 2 2
But, from the last continuity equation, |C|2 = |D|2 , therefore |A|2 = |B|2 , and
finally R = 1, as it should since the wall at x = a is impenetrable.