Published October 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

The tunneling solutions of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation for a square-potential barrier

  • 1. ESC, 3432 Calle del Monte NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 (United States)
  • 2. Sandia National Laboratory, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)

Description

The exact tunneling solutions of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation with a square-potential barrier are derived using the continuous symmetry group GS for the partial differential equation. The infinitesimal generators and the elements for GS are represented and derived in the jet space. There exist six classes of wave functions. The representative (canonical) wave functions for the classes are labeled by the eigenvalue sets, whose elements arise partially from the reducibility of a Lie subgroup GLS of GS and partially from the separation of variables. Each eigenvalue set provides two or more time scales for the wave function. The ratio of two time scales can act as the duration of an intrinsic clock for the particle motion. The exact solutions of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation presented here can produce tunneling currents that are orders of magnitude larger than those produced by the energy eigenfunctions. The exact solutions show that tunneling current can be quantized under appropriate boundary conditions and tunneling probability can be affected by a transverse acceleration.

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Mathematical Physics
Journal Volume
50
Journal Issue
10
Journal Page Range
p. 102101-102101.31
ISSN
0022-2488
CODEN
JMAPAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
41040442
Subject category
S97: MATHEMATICAL METHODS AND COMPUTING;
Descriptors DEI
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS; EIGENFUNCTIONS; EIGENVALUES; EXACT SOLUTIONS; LIE GROUPS; PROBABILITY; SCHROEDINGER EQUATION; TIME DEPENDENCE; WAVE FUNCTIONS
Descriptors DEC
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; EQUATIONS; FUNCTIONS; MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; SYMMETRY GROUPS; WAVE EQUATIONS

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2009 American Institute of Physics