FINITE POTENTIAL BARRIER.

Consider a particle in simple energy field such that;

0 ; −∞ < 𝑥 < 0
{
𝑉0 ; 𝑥 < ∞
The function can be represented as shown below.

Form the Schrödinger equation;

−ℏ2 𝑑2 𝜓
+ U(x) 𝜓(x) = E 𝜓(x)
2𝑚 𝑑𝑥 2

For E<V0
For region x<0 since V(x) = 0;
−ℏ2 𝑑2 𝜓1
= E 𝜓1 (x)
2𝑚 𝑑𝑥 2

𝑑2 𝜓1 −2𝑚
= 𝐸𝜓1 (x)
𝑑𝑥 2 ℏ2
−2𝑚
Let 𝑘 2 = 𝐸
ℏ2

𝑑2 𝜓1
= 𝑘 2 𝜓1 (x)
𝑑𝑥 2

𝑑2 𝜓1
− 𝑘 2 𝜓1 (x) = 0
𝑑𝑥 2

The solution of 𝜓1 (x) is ;

𝜓1 (x) = A𝑒 𝑖𝑘1 𝑥 + B𝑒 −𝑖𝑘1 𝑥

For region x<∞;
U(x) = V0
−ℏ2 𝑑2 𝜓2
+V0 𝜓2 (x) = E𝜓2 (𝑥)
2𝑚 𝑑𝑥 2

𝑑 2 𝜓2 2𝑚(𝑉0 − 𝐸)𝜓2 (x)

2
=
𝑑𝑥 ℏ2
2𝑚
Let 𝑘 2 = (𝑉0 − 𝐸)
ℏ2

𝑑 2 𝜓2
= 𝑘 2 𝜓2 (𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑2 𝜓2
− 𝑘 2 𝜓2 (𝑥)= 0
𝑑𝑥 2

The solution of 𝜓3 (𝑥) is;

𝜓2 (x) = C𝑒 𝑖𝑘2 𝑥 + D𝑒 −𝑖𝑘2 𝑥

From Euler’s formula, A𝑒 𝑖𝑘1 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 C𝑒 𝑖𝑘1 𝑥 represent waves travelling in the positive direction
positive while B𝑒 −𝑖𝑘2 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 D𝑒 −𝑖𝑘2 𝑥 represent waves travelling in the negative direction.
For x>a, the waves travel in the positive direction only hence D = 0 which implies that;

𝜓1 (x) = A𝑒 𝑖𝑘1 𝑥 + B𝑒 −𝑖𝑘1 𝑥

𝜓2 (x) = C𝑒 𝑖𝑘2 𝑥
To solve for B and C in relation to A, impose these four boundary conditions to ensure that the
wave function is a smooth curve as x→0 and as x→a:

For x = 0;
𝜓1 (0) = 𝜓2 (0)
𝑑 𝑑
Also 𝑑𝑥 (𝜓1(0)) = 𝑑𝑥 (𝜓2 (0))

This implies that;

A+B=C
And the derivative at x = 0 becomes;
𝑖𝑘1 A - 𝑖𝑘1 𝐵 = 𝑖𝑘2 𝐶
𝑖𝑘1 (A - B) = 𝑖𝑘2 𝐶
Solving for B and C in terms of A gives;
𝑘
1−𝑗 2 2𝐴
𝑘1
B=𝐴[ 𝑘 ] and C = 𝑘
1+𝑗 2 1+𝑗 2
𝑘1 𝑘1