Reflection and Transmission across

Rectangular potential barrier

Harshit Sharma

1 Introduction
Consider a potential energy barrier as shown in the fig 1: given by:

0
 x≤0
u(x) = U0 0 ≤ x ≤ l

0 l≤x


and consider a particle that is moving in this region with energy as E, and let,
for simplicity E and U0 be a fixed quantities. In this whole paper we will be
taking up only one case where the total energy of the particle is less than the
potential energy, thus ending up with tunneling effect and application of tun-
neling effect.

2 Mathematical Analysis
When E < U0
Consider 1-D time-independent Schrodinger’s equation given as:

ℏ2 ∂ 2 ψ(x)
− + u(x)ψ(x) = Eψ(x)
2m ∂x2
now, we have to solve this Schrodinger’s equation for region 1, region 2, and
region 3

In region 1 (x ≤ 0)
With the help of the definition of potential energy, as defined above, we can
reduce the Schrodinger’s equation as-

ℏ2 ∂ 2 ψ(x)
− = Eψ(x)
2m ∂x2

1
 Figure 1: Rectangular barrier potential

After solving a bit of differential equation we get,

ψ(x) = Aeikx + Be−ikx

, where k 2 = 2mEℏ2 and the incident waveform is shown by positive x, while
reflected ( at the boundary) is shown by negative x.

In region 2 (0 ≤ x ≤ l)
The Schrodinger’s equation in region 2 can be written as

ℏ2 ∂ 2 ψ(x)
− + u0 ψ(x) = Eψ(x)
2m ∂x2
ℏ2 ∂ 2 ψ(x)
− = Eψ(x) − u0 ψ(x)
2m ∂x2
Since E > U0 , Thus

∂ 2 ψ(x) 2m
= 2 (u0 ψ(x) − Eψ(x))
∂x2 ℏ
Similarly after solving a bit further we get,

ψ(x) = Cek2 x + De−k2 x

where
2m(U0 − E)
k22 =
ℏ2
and here also the positive term (left one) depict the transverse wave and the
term on right depict the reflected term, reflected at the boundary, separating
region 2 and region 3.

In region 3 (l ≤ x)
Just like as we did in Region 1, we can show that

ψ(x) = Eeikx + F e−ikx

2
Thus finally after combining all the three cases we can say that:

ikx −ikx
Ae + Be
 x≤0
ψ(x) = Cek2 x + De−k2 x 0≤x≤l
Ee + F e−ikx

 ikx
l≤x
where k1 and k2 are defined above. Now since our wave is moving from left to
right thus we can see that F = 0 as there is no interface for reflection, and we
also know that a wave function and its first derivative is continuous near the
boundary. On applying these above stated condition of our wave function at
x=0 and x=l, and equating first differential at x=0 and at x=l.
we get,
A+B =C +D
Cek2 l + De−k2 l = Eeikl
iAk + iBk = k2 C − Dk2
k2 Cek2 l − k2 De−K2 l = ikEeikl
After eliminating C and D we can show that
" #−1
E −ika K2 2 − k 2
= 2e 2cosh(k2 l) + i sinh(k2 l)
A kk2
and " #
B k 2 + k2 2 K2 2 − k 2
= −i sinh(k2 l) 2cosh(k2 l) + i sinh(k2 l)
A kk2 kk2
Thus the transmission and reflection coefficients respectively are
"  2 2 −1
|E|2 2 K2 − k 2 2
T = = 4 4cosh(k2 l) + sinh(k2 l)
|A|2 kk2
2 " 2 −1
|B|2 K2 2 − k 2 K2 2 − k 2
 
R= = sinh (k2 l) 4cosh2 (K2 l) +
2
sinh2 (k2 l)
|A|2 kk2 kk2
we can reduce the expression of transmission coefficient by using cosh2 (x) =
1 + sinh2 (x) thus the expression becomes,
2 −1
1 K2 2 − k 2
 
2
T = 1+ sinh (k2 l)
4 kk2
Thus we see that T comes out to be finite, this means that there is a finite
probability of the particle reaching x > l which classically cannot happen and,
is purely a quantum phenomenon. This purely quantum phenomena which hap-
pen due to the wave aspect of the particle is term as the tunneling effect.

Although the potential barrier of Fig 1 is quite hypothetical, but there are
many examples in nature where tunneling happens and we will be considering
few of such examples:

3
Figure 2: The wave function of a particle of energy E < U0 encountering a
barrier.(left side). An alpha particle penetrates a potential barrier (right side).

3 Real life application

1. Alpha Decay :
An atomic nucleus consists of protons and neutrons which are at a constant
state of motion, occasionally these particles form themselves into an aggregate
of two protons and neutrons, thus forming an alpha particle. In one form of
radioactive decay known as alpha decay these alpha particle penetrate the bar-
rier potential as shown in Fig. 2(a), and get detected in the laboratory. The
probability of alpha particles to penetrate the barrier and get detected can be
computed on the basis energy of these particles energy as measured in labo-
ratory, height, and thickness of the barrier, and these are found in excellent
agreement with the barrier penetration through quantum mechanical calcula-
tions.

2. Ammonia Inversion:
Fig.3 is a representation of Ammonia molecule N H3 .From our previous knowl-
edge, we know that Ammonia shows inversion, if we try to move the nitrogen
along the axis, toward the plane formed by hydrogen atoms, we found that
these hydrogen produces a potential barrier as shown in fig. 4. Now according
to Classical mechanics, until the nitrogen atom is given with sufficient energy
it cannot pass the barrier, but with quantum mechanics, it can penetrate and
can appear on the other side of the molecule. Infect the nitrogen atom tunnel
back and forth with a frequency of 1010 oscillations per second.

3. Tunnel diode

4
 Fig 3. A schematic diagram of ammonia. Fig 4. The potential energy Fig 5. The barrier potential
as seen by nitrogen atom seen by electron

A tunnel diode is an electronic device that uses the phenomena of tunneling.

Schematically, the potential seen by the electron in a tunnel diode can be rep-
resented as in fig. 5. The current flows through such devices can be produced
by electron, tunneling from one side to another. The rate of tunneling or we
can say the amount of current can be regulated by merely changing the height
of the barrier, which can be done by changing applied voltage.

4 Conclusion/Classical overview
Before wrapping up everything, that we had seen in this paper as we move to
the end, we should now explain these findings in term of particle-wave duality .
The particle can never be observed in barrier region, as by doing so it would be
violating the energy conservation. Every particle that is incident from the left
on the barrier get reflected and while few get inside a distance of ∆x turning
around and reemerging, thus the total number of incident particle equals to the
one reflected (atx = 0) and transmitted (atx = l. Now the question is how the
particle get from 0 < x < l? As a classical particle, it can’t !! , but if we look at
its wave nature, then its nothing new, this property of wave to enter in forbidden
region is a know as frustrated total internal reflection. Quantum physics just
provide a new aspect by connecting it with particle, and thus making it like a
particle entered in forbidden region.