Motion 1 D

Lecture 14: Motion in 1D
Phy851/fall 2009
Simple Problems in 1D
To Describe the motion of a particle in 1D, we
need the following four QM elements:
ih
d
(t ) = H (t )
dt
Schrdinger's
equation
P2
H=
+V (X )
2m
Energy of a
particle
x (t ) = ( x, t )
Definition of
wavefunction
x P (t ) = ih ( x, t )
x
Action of momentum
operator in x-basis
Putting them together yields the Schrdinger

wave equation:
d
h2 2
ih ( x , t ) =
( x, t ) + V ( x) ( x, t )
2
dt
2m x
Bound States vs Scattering States
Problems dealing with motion in 1D fall into

one of two categories
1. Bound-state problems:
V(x) < E over finite region only

Energy levels are discrete
Typical problem:
Find Energy eigenvalues: {En}; n=1,2,3,

Find corresponding Energy eigenstates: {|En}
Find time evolution of an arbitrary state
No
V(x)
E
yes
2. Scattering problems:
V(x) < E in region extending to infinity in at

least one direction
Energy spectrum is continuous
Typical problem:
For a given incident k find reflection and

transmission probabilities, R(k) and T(k).
Example: Scattering from a Step

Potential
Consider the potential:
0
V ( x) =
V0
x<0
x>0
E
V0
I
II
x
0
Goal: find eigenstates

Strategy:
Divide into regions of constant V
Make suitable Ansatz for each region
Use boundary conditions to connect regions
General Solution for Constant V

Solving the energy eigenvalue equation:
Start with the basic
equation
H E = EE
Specify the
Hamiltonian
P2
+ V E = E E
2M
Hit with k|
from left
P2
k E
V E = 0
2M
h 2k 2
E
V k E = 0
2M
Use k|P = hkk|
Solution:
h 2k 2
V = 0
Either E
2M
For given E can only be

satisfied for two k
values, so k| must be
zero for all other k:
k E = c+ ( k
2 m ( E V )
h
or
k E = 0
h 2k 2
E
V = 0
2M
k =
2 M (E V )
h
) + c (k +
2 m ( E V )
h
Wavefunction for constant V

We have found:
k E = c+ ( k
2 m ( E V )
h
) + c (k +
2 m ( E V )
h
Closure tells us that:
= dk k k
=
[ (
dk k c + k
= c+ k E + c k E
2m(E V )
h
+ c k +
kE =
2m(E V )
h
2 m ( E V )
h
Hit with x| to construct the wavefunction:
x E = c+ x k E + c x k E
E ( x) = c+ eik E x + c e ik E x
c+ and c- will be set by
boundary conditions
)]
Energy Eigenstate Wave Function

for Step Potential:
E
V0
I
II
x
0
So we have for each region:
E ( x) = c+ eik E x + c e ik E x
Applying this for each region gives
I ( x) = a1e
i k1 x
+ b1e
i k1 x
II ( x) = a2 ei k2 x + b2 e i k2 x
2mE
k1 =
h
2m(E V0 )
k2 =
h
Q: How do we find the coefficients?

A: We need to specify boundary conditions:
4 unknowns required 4 boundary condition eqs.
Boundary conditions at
In scattering problems, we need to specify
the asymptotic forms of the wavefunction for
x .
i.e. specify c+ and c- for the left-most and
right-most regions
For 1-d scattering, the most common

approach is:
For left-most region, take:
in ( X ) = eikin x + r e ikin x
For right-most region, take:
out = t eikout x
For step-potential, this translates to:
I ( x) = ei k1x + r e i k1x
II ( x) = t ei k2 x
0
Boundary conditions at a Potential

discontinuity
The remaining unknown constants are
determined from `continuity conditions
applied to each Potential discontinuity
allow (x) and its derivatives to be

Strategy: discontinuous and see if the eigenvalue
equation can still be satisfied
Let x=0 be the location of the discontinuity:
Let (x) be a continuous smooth function
Define:
( x) = ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) +
0 x < 0
U ( x) =
1 x > 0
2
x U ( x) + K
2
`Unit Step-function
Differentiation gives:
( x) = ( x) + ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) + K
( x) = ( x) + ( x) + ( x) + U ( x) + K
Recall that:
U(x)=(x)
Continuity conditions
2
x U ( x) + K
2
( x) = ( x) + ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) + K
( x) = ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) +
( x) = ( x) + ( x) + ( x) + U ( x) + K
M
M
Taking the limit as x 0 from the left gives:
(0 ) = (0)
Taking the limit as x 0 from the right gives:
(0 + ) = (0) +
Thus is the discontinuity in (x) at x=0:
(0 + ) (0 ) =
Likewise:
(0 + ) (0 ) =
(0 + ) (0 ) =
And so on
Plugging into the Energy Eigenvalue

Equation
Projecting the Energy Eigenvalue equation
onto x| gives:
h2 2
V ( x) ( x, t ) = 0
E +
2
2m x
( x) = ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) +
This gives:
2
x U ( x) + K
2
[E V ( x)] ( x) + U ( x) + xU ( x) +
Conclusions:
x 2U ( x) + K
2
h2
( ( x) + ( x) + ( x) + U ( x) + K)
=
2M
There is nothing on the L.h.s. to cancel the

delta functions on the R.h.s. unless V(x)
contains a (x) and/or a (x) term.
Unless this is the case, we must have =0 and
=0
Theorem:
the wavefunction and its first derivative must
be everywhere continuous.
Exception: where there is a (x-x0) or (x-x0)
in the potential.
(x-x0) potential discontinuity in (x) at x=x0
(x-x0) potential discontinuity in (x) at x=x0

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Lecture 14: Motion in 1D

Putting them together yields the Schrdinger

Bound States vs Scattering States

Problems dealing with motion in 1D fall into

V(x) < E over finite region only

Find Energy eigenvalues: {En}; n=1,2,3,

Find time evolution of an arbitrary state

V(x) < E in region extending to infinity in at

For a given incident k find reflection and

Example: Scattering from a Step

Goal: find eigenstates

General Solution for Constant V

Use k|P = hkk|

For given E can only be

Wavefunction for constant V

Closure tells us that:

Hit with x| to construct the wavefunction:

Energy Eigenstate Wave Function

So we have for each region:

Q: How do we find the coefficients?

For 1-d scattering, the most common

Boundary conditions at a Potential

allow (x) and its derivatives to be

Taking the limit as x 0 from the left gives:

Taking the limit as x 0 from the right gives:

Thus is the discontinuity in (x) at x=0:

Plugging into the Energy Eigenvalue

There is nothing on the L.h.s. to cancel the

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