Time-dependent versus time-independent probabilities of transmission and reflection of a quantum particle incident upon potentials with large changes

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (11) ◽  
pp. 1227-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R.A. Shegelski ◽  
Kevin Malmgren

We investigate the transmission and reflection of a quantum particle incident upon a step potential increase, a step potential decrease, a square well, and a square barrier, all well studied in undergraduate quantum mechanics. We are especially interested in the extreme where the change in the potential is arbitrarily large, but with the difference in the energy of the particle and the potential held fixed, if possible. We obtain the probabilities of transmission and reflection using the time-independent Schrödinger equation and also the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. In the time-dependent case, we have the particle initially in a Gaussian wave packet or a similar localized state. We obtain results that fall into three categories: results that are not surprising, results where time-dependent and time-independent agree surprisingly well, and results that are very different. We discuss the unexpected results. Our work may be of interest to instructors of and students in upper year undergraduate quantum mechanics courses.

2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R.A. Shegelski ◽  
Kevin Malmgren ◽  
Logan Salayka-Ladouceur

We investigate the transmission and reflection of a quantum particle incident upon a step potential decrease and a square well. The probabilities of transmission and reflection using the time-independent Schrödinger equation and also the time-dependent Schrödinger equation are in excellent agreement. We explain why the probabilities agree so well. In doing so, we make use of an exact analytical expression for the square well for time-dependent transmission and reflection, which reveals additional interesting and unexpected results. One such result is that transmission of a wave packet can occur with the probability of transmission depending weakly on the initial spread of the packet. The explanations and the additional results will be of interest to instructors of and students in upper year undergraduate quantum mechanics courses.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-55
Author(s):  
Timothy Brian Huber

The harmonic oscillator is a quantum mechanical system that represents one of the most basic potentials. In order to understand the behavior of a particle within this system, the time-independent Schrödinger equation was solved; in other words, its eigenfunctions and eigenvalues were found. The first goal of this study was to construct a family of single parameter potentials and corresponding eigenfunctions with a spectrum similar to that of the harmonic oscillator. This task was achieved by means of supersymmetric quantum mechanics, which utilizes an intertwining operator that relates a known Hamiltonian with another whose potential is to be built. Secondly, a generalization of the technique was used to work with the time-dependent Schrödinger equation to construct new potentials and corresponding solutions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1350041 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. HASSANABADI ◽  
S. ZARRINKAMAR ◽  
E. MAGHSOODI

We first revisit the nonrelativistic minimal length quantum mechanics and reveal an interesting symmetry of the problem. In fact, we will show that the cumbersome problem can be cast into the ordinary Schrödinger equation with a new effective potential. Next, as a typical example, we show the minimal length Schrödinger equation in the presence of a nonminimal Hulthén vector interaction. The transmission and reflection coefficients are reported as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
A. Suparmi, C. Cari, Ina Nurhidayati

Abstrak – Persamaan Schrödinger adalah salah satu topik penelitian yang yang paling sering diteliti dalam mekanika kuantum. Pada jurnal ini persamaan Schrödinger berbasis panjang minimal diaplikasikan untuk potensial Coulomb Termodifikasi. Fungsi gelombang dan spektrum energi yang dihasilkan menunjukkan kharakteristik atau tingkah laku dari partikel sub atom. Dengan menggunakan metode pendekatan hipergeometri, diperoleh solusi analitis untuk bagian radial persamaan Schrödinger berbasis panjang minimal diaplikasikan untuk potensial Coulomb Termodifikasi. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan terjadi peningkatan energi yang sebanding dengan meningkatnya parameter panjang minimal dan parameter potensial Coulomb Termodifikasi. Kata kunci: persamaan Schrödinger, panjang minimal, fungsi gelombang, energi, potensial Coulomb Termodifikasi Abstract – The Schrödinger equation is the most popular topic research at quantum mechanics. The  Schrödinger equation based on the concept of minimal length formalism has been obtained for modified Coulomb potential. The wave function and energy spectra were used to describe the characteristic of sub-atomic particle. By using hypergeometry method, we obtained the approximate analytical solutions of the radial Schrödinger equation based on the concept of minimal length formalism for the modified Coulomb potential. The wave function and energy spectra was solved. The result showed that the value of energy increased by the increasing both of minimal length parameter and the potential parameter. Key words: Schrödinger equation, minimal length formalism (MLF), wave function, energy spectra, Modified Coulomb potential


Author(s):  
Niels Engholm Henriksen ◽  
Flemming Yssing Hansen

This introductory chapter considers first the relation between molecular reaction dynamics and the major branches of physical chemistry. The concept of elementary chemical reactions at the quantized state-to-state level is discussed. The theoretical description of these reactions based on the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and the Born–Oppenheimer approximation is introduced and the resulting time-dependent Schrödinger equation describing the nuclear dynamics is discussed. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of matter at thermal equilibrium, focusing at the Boltzmann distribution. Thus, the Boltzmann distribution for vibrational, rotational, and translational degrees of freedom is discussed and illustrated.


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