Chapter 5

Matter Waves. Solutions of Selected

Problems

5.1 Problem 5.11 (In the text book)

For an electron to be confined to a nucleus, its de Broglie wavelength would have to be less
than 10−14 m.

(a) What would be the kinetic energy of an electron confined to this region?

(b) On the basis of this result, would you expect to find an electron in a nucleus? Explain.

Solution

(a) The momentum of the electron is defined by its de Broglie wavelength as:

h
p =
λ
hc
pc =
λ
1.240 × 103 (eV · nm)
=
10−5 (nm)
= 1.240 × 108 eV

The energy of the electron is:

2 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

p
E = (pc)2 + m2e c4
p
= (1.240 × 108 )2 + (511 × 103 )2
= 1.2400 × 108 eV
= 124.0 M ev

The kinetic energy K of the electron is:

K = E − me c2
= 124.0 − 0.511
= 123.499 M eV

(b) The kinetic energy of the electron is too large for the electron to be confined is such
small space.

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

5.2. PROBLEM 5.17 (IN THE TEXT BOOK) 3

5.2 Problem 5.17 (In the text book)

The dispersion relation for free relativistic electron waves is

p
ω(k) = c2 k 2 + (me c2 /~)2
Obtain expressions for the phase velocity vp and group velocity vg of these waves and show
that their product is a constant, independent of k. From your result, what can you conclude
about vg if vp > c?

Solution
The total energy of the electron is:
p
E= p2 c2 + m2e c2
Since E = ~ω and p = ~k, we get:

p
(~kc)2 + (me c2 )2
~ω =
r
(me c2 )2
ω(k) = (kc)2 +
~2
The phase velocity vp is given by:

ω
vp =
k
q
(me c2 )2
(kc)2 + ~2
=
s k
 2
me c2
= c2 +
~k
and the group velocity vg is given by:

dω
vg = |k
dk ◦
1 2kc2
= q
2 2
2
k 2 c2 + m~e c
kc2
= q
me c2 2


k 2 c2 + ~

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

4 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

The product vp vg is;

q
(me c2 )2
(kc)2 + ~2 kc2
vp vg = ×q
k me c2 2


k 2 c2 + ~
= c2

Therefore, if vp > c, then vg < c

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

5.3. PROBLEM 5.22 (IN THE TEXT BOOK) 5

5.3 Problem 5.22 (In the text book)

A beam of electrons is incident on a slit of variable width. If it is possible to resolve a

1% difference in momentum, what slit width would be necessary to resolve the interference
pattern of the electrons if their kinetic energy is

1. 0.010 M eV ,

2. 1.0 M eV , and

3. 100 M eV ?

Solution

Using the uncertainty principle, with ∆x = a and ∆p = 0.01p, where a is the slit width, we
get:

~
∆x∆p ≥
2
~
a × 0.01p =
2
~
a =
2 × 0.01p
~c
= (5.1)
0.02pc

since we are given the kinetic energy of the electron, we can find pc from:

E 2 = p2 c2 + m2e c4
p
pc = E 2 − m2e c4
p
= (K + me c2 ) − m2e c4
p
= K 2 + 2Kme c2 + m2e c4 − m2e c4
p
= K 2 + 2Kme c2 (5.2)

Now using Equation (5.2) in Equation (5.1) and take me c2 = 0.511 M eV we get:

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

6 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

~c
a =
0.02pc
1.973 × 10−4 (M eV · nm)
= p
0.02 K 2 (M eV )2 + 2K(M eV )me c2 (M eV )
9.865 × 10−3
= √
K 2 + 2 × 0.511K
9.865 × 10−3
= √ (5.3)
K 2 + 1.022K
(a) Using Equation (5.3) and K = 0.01 M eV we get:

9.865 × 10−3
a = √
K 2 + 1.022K
9.865 × 10−3
= p
(0.01)2 + 1.022 × 0.01
= 9.711 × 10−2 nm

(b) Using Equation (5.3) and K = 1.00 M eV we get:

9.865 × 10−3
a = √
K 2 + 1.022K
9.865 × 10−3
= p
(1.00)2 + 1.022 × 1.00
= 6.938 × 10−3 nm

(c) Using Equation (5.3) and K = 100 M eV we get:

9.865 × 10−3
a = √
K 2 + 1.022K
9.865 × 10−3
= p
(100)2 + 1.022 × 100
= 9.815 × 10−5 nm

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

5.4. PROBLEM 5.29 (IN THE TEXT BOOK) 7

5.4 Problem 5.29 (In the text book)

A two-slit electron diffraction experiment is done with slits of unequal widths. When only
slit 1 is open, the number of electrons reaching the screen per second is 25 times the number
of electrons reaching the screen per second when only slit 2 is open. When both slits are
open, an interference pattern results in which the destructive interference is not complete.
Find the ratio of the probability of an electron arriving at an interference maximum to the
probability of an electron arriving at an adjacent interference minimum. (Hint: Use the
superposition principle).

Solution

With slit 1 open and slit 2 closed, we have:

P1 = |Ψ1 |2
With slit 2 open and slit 1 closed, we have:

P2 = |Ψ2 |2
where P1 and P2 are the probabilities that the electrons reach the screen though slit 1 and
slit 2 respectively. Ψ1 and Ψ2 are the wave functions of electrons going through slit 1 and
slit 2 respectively.

When both slits are open we get:

P = |Ψ1 + Ψ2 |2
= |Ψ1 |2 + |Ψ2 |2 + 2|Ψ1 ||Ψ2 | cos φ

where φ is the phase angle between the waves arriving at the screen from the two slits. So
P = Pmax when cos φ = +1 and P = Pmin when cos φ = −1. Where Pmax is the probability
that there will be a maximum intensity on the the screen and Pmin is the probability that
there will minimum intensity on the screen. Note that all probabilities are functions of
position on the screen, we then have:

Pmax = (|Ψ1 + Ψ2 |)2

Pmin = (|Ψ1 − Ψ2 |)2

Since,

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

8 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

P1 |Ψ1 |2
=
P2 |Ψ2 |2
= 25
|Ψ1 |
= 5
|Ψ2 |

we then get:

Pmax (|Ψ1 + Ψ2 |)2

=
Pmin (|Ψ1 − Ψ2 |)2
(5|Ψ2 + Ψ2 |)2
=
(5|Ψ2 − Ψ2 |)2
(6Ψ2 )2
=
(4Ψ2 )2
36
=
16
= 2.25

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

5.5. PROBLEM 5.35 (IN THE TEXT BOOK) 9

5.5 Problem 5.35 (In the text book)

A matter wave packet.

(a) Find and sketch the real part of the matter wave pulse shape f (x) for a Gaussian
amplitude distribution a(k), where

2 (k−k 2
a(k) = Ae−α ◦)

Note that a(k) is peaked at k◦ and has a width that decreases with increasing α. (Hint:
In order to put
Z ∞
1
f (x) = √ a(k)eikx dk
2π −∞

into the standard form Z ∞

2
e−αz dz
−∞

complete the square in k.)

(b) By comparing the result for the real part of f (x) to the standard form of a Gaussian
2
function with width ∆x, f (x) ∝ Ae−(x/2∆x) show that the width of the matter wave
pulse is ∆x = α.

(c) Find the width ∆k of a(k) by writing a(k) in standard Gaussian form and show that
∆x∆k = 21 , independent of α.

Solution

(a) The spectral distribution function a(k) is given by:

2 (k−k 2
a(k) = Ae−α ◦)

2 2 2
= Ae−α (k −2kk◦ +k◦ )
2 2 2 2
= Ae−α k◦ e−α (k −2kk◦ )

The matter wave pulse shape f (x) becomes:

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

10 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

Z ∞
1
f (x) = √ a(k) eikx dk
2π −∞
Z ∞
1 2 2 2 2
= √ Ae−α k◦ e−α (k −2kk◦ ) eikx dk
2π −∞
Z ∞
1 −α2 k◦2 2 2
= √ Ae e−α (k −2kk◦ ) eikx dk
2π
Z−∞
∞
1 2 2 2 2
= √ Ae−α k◦ e−α (k −2kk◦ )+ikx dk
2π
Z−∞
∞
1 −α2 k◦2 2 2 2
= √ Ae e−α (k −2kk◦ −ikx/α ) dk
2π
Z−∞
∞
1 −α2 k◦2
= √ Ae eβ dk
2π −∞

ikx
where β = −α2 (k 2 − 2kk◦ − α2
).

 
2 2 ikx
β = −α k − 2kk◦ − 2
α
  
2 2 ix
= −α k − 2k k◦ + 2
2α
"    2  2 #
ix ix ix
= −α2 k 2 − 2k k◦ + 2 + k◦ + 2 − k◦ + 2
2α 2α 2α
  2  2
ix ix
= −α2 k + k◦ + 2 + α 2 k◦ + 2
2α 2α

f (x), then becomes:

Z ∞
1 ix 2
−α2 k◦2 α2 (k◦ + 2α ) ix 2
e−α [k+(k◦ + 2α2 )] dk
2
f (x) = √ Ae e 2

2π
Z−∞
∞
1 ix 2
= √ Ae−α k◦ eα (k◦ + 2α2 )
2 2 2 2 2
e−α z dz
2π −∞

ix


where z = k + k◦ + 2α2
and dz = dk. Since,
Z ∞ √
−α2 z 2 π
e =
−∞ α

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

 1 +∞ A +∞ −α 2 ( k − k0 )2 ikx A −α 2 k02 +∞ −α 2 ( k 2 −( 2 k0 + ix α 2 ) k )
f ( x) = ∫ a ( k ) e dk = 2π ∫ e e dk = ∫e
ikx
e dk .
2π −∞ −∞ 2π −∞
Now complete the square in order to get the integral into the standard form
+∞ 5.5. PROBLEM 5.35 (IN THE TEXT BOOK) 11
− az2

∫ e dz :
−∞
then f (x) becomes:

−α 2 ( k 2 −( 2 k0 + ix α 2 ) k ) +α 2 ( k0 + ix 2α 2 ) −α 2 ( k − ( k0 + ix 2√
α 2 ))
2 2

e =e 1 e2 2 2 ix 2 π
f (x) = √ A e−α k◦ eα (k◦ + 2α2 )
A −α2π2 k02 α 2 ( k0 + ix 2α 2 )2 +∞α −α 2 ( k −( k0 + ix 2α 2 ) )2
f ( x) = = e A √ ee−α k◦ eα [k◦ +(ik◦ x/α )−(x
2 2 2 2 2
∫ e/4α4 )]
2 dk
2π α 2 k =−∞
A2 −α 2 k2 α2 k+∞
2 2 /4α2
A= −√ x 4eα 2 ik0ex
◦ ◦ eik◦ x e−x
−α 2 z 2
= eα 2 e ∫ e dz
2π A −x2 /4α2 zik=−∞
= √ e e ◦x
α 2
A 2 /4α2
=+∞ √ e2 −x
π
(cos1 k2◦ x + i sin k◦ x)
where z = k −  k0 + 
ix α −2α z 2 A − x2 4α 2 ik0 x
 . Since ∫ e dz = , f ( x) = e e . The real
 2α 2  z =−∞ α α 2
The real part of f (x), Ref (x), is:
A − x2 4α 2
part of f ( x ) , Re f ( x ) is Re f ( x ) =
eA cos k0 x and is a gaussian envelope
α 2
Ref (x) = √ e −x /4α
cos k◦ x
2 2

α 2
multiplying a harmonic wave with wave number k0 . A plot of Re f ( x ) is shown
and is composed of a Gaussian envelope multiplied by a harmonic wave with a wave
below: number k◦ . A plot of Ref (x) is shown in Figure (5.1).

Re f ( x )
A 2
4α 2
e− x
α 2

cos k 0 x

Figure 5.1:
A − x2 4α 2 −( x 2 ∆x )
2
Comparing e to Ae implies ∆x = α .
α 2
(b) Comparing
A −x2 /4α2
√ e
α 2

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein

12 CHAPTER 5. MATTER WAVES. SOLUTIONS OF SELECTED PROBLEMS

to
2
Ae−(x/2∆x)

implies that ∆x = α.

(c) Given that a(k) is:

2 (k−k+◦)2
a(k) = Ae−α

putting ∆k = 1/2α, than a(k) can be written as:

2 /(2∆k)2
a(k) = Ae−(k−k◦ )

the last equation makes a(k) takes the standard Gaussian form, so we then have:

1 1
∆x∆k = ×α=
2α 2

Physics 205:Modern Physics I, Chapter 5 Fall 2004 Ahmed H. Hussein