2.3.8.

Derivation of the Kronig-Penney model

The solution to Schrödinger’s equation for the Kronig-Penney potential previously shown in
Figure 2.3.3 and discussed in section 2.3.2.1 is obtained by assuming that the solution is a Bloch
function, namely a traveling wave solution of the form, eikx, multiplied with a periodic solution,
u(x), which has the same period as the periodic potential. The total wavefunction is therefore of
the form:

Ψ ( x) = u ( x )e ikx (2.3.18)

where u(x) is the periodic function as defined by u(x) = u(x + a), and k(x) is the wave number.
Rewriting the wavefunction in such form allows the simplification of the Schrödinger equation,
which we now apply to region I, between the barriers where V(x) = 0 and region II, the barrier
region where V(x) = V0:
In region I, Schrödinger’s equation becomes:

d 2 u I ( x) du ( x) (2.3.19)
2
+ 2ik I + ( β 2 − k 2 )u I ( x ) = 0 for 0 < x < a-b
dx dx

with

2π (2.3.20)
β= 2mE
h

While in region II, it becomes:

d 2 u II ( x ) du ( x ) (2.3.21)
2
+ 2ik II − ( k 2 + α 2 )u II ( x ) = 0 for a-b < x < a
dx dx

with

2π (2.3.22)
α= 2m(V0 − E )
h

The solution to equations (2.3.6) and (2.3.8) are of the form:

u I ( x) = ( A cos β x + B sin β x)e − ikx for 0 < x < a-b (2.3.23)

u II ( x) = (C cosh αx + D sin αx)e − ikx for a-b < x < a (2.3.24)

Since the potential, V(x), is finite everywhere, the solutions for uI(x) and uII(x) must be
continuous as well as their first derivatives. Continuity at x = 0 results in:

u I (0) = u II (0) so that A = C (2.3.25)

and continuity at x = a-b combined with the requirement that u(x) be periodic results in:

u I (a − b) = u II (−b) (2.3.26)

so that

( A cos β (a − b) + B sin β (a − b))e − ik ( a −b ) = (C cosh αb − D sinh αb)e ikb (2.3.27)

Continuity of the first derivative at x = 0 requires that:

du I ( x) du II ( x) (2.3.28)
=
dx x =0 dx x =0

The first derivatives of uI(x) and uII(x) are:

du I ( x ) (2.3.29)
= ( Aβ sin β x − Bβ cos β x )e −ikx − ik ( A cos β x + B sin β x )e −ikx
dx

du II ( x ) (2.3.30)
= (Cα sinh αx + Dα cosh αx)e −ikx − ik (C cosh αx + D sinh αx )e −ikx
dx

so that (2.3.15) becomes:

− Bβ − ikA = Dα − ikC (2.3.31)

Finally, continuity of the first derivative at x = a-b, again combined with the requirement that
u(x) is periodic, results in:

du I ( x ) du II ( x ) (2.3.32)
=
dx x = a −b dx x =−b

so that

( Aβ sin β ( a − b) − Bβ cos β ( a − b))e − ik ( a −b ) (2.3.33)

− ik ( A cos β ( a − b) + B sin β ( a − b))e −ik ( a −b )
= ( −Cα sinh αb + Dα cosh αb)e ikb − ik (C cosh αb − D sinh αb)e ikb

This equation can be simplified using equation (2.3.14) as:

( Aβ sin β (a − b) − Bβ cos β ( a − b)) = (−Cα sinh αb + Dα cosh αb)e ika (2.3.34)

As a result we have four homogenous equations, (2.3.12), (2.3.14), (2.3.18), and (2.3.21), with
four unknowns, A, B, C, and D, for which there will be a solution if the determinant of this set of
equations is zero, or:
 1 0 −1 0 (2.3.35)
0 β 0 α
=0
cos β ( a − b) sin β ( a − b) − cosh αb exp ika sinh αb exp ika
β sin β (a − b) − β cos β (a − b) α sin αb exp ika − α cosh αb exp ika

The first row of the determinant represents equation (2.3.12), the second row is obtained by
combining (2.3.18) and (2.3.12), the third row represents equation (2.3.14) and the fourth row
represents equation (2.3.21). This determinant can be rewritten as two determinants, each with
three rows and column, while replacing cosβ(a-b) by βc, sinβ(a-b) by βs, coshαb eika by αc and
sinhαb eika by αs, which results in:

β 0 α 0 β α (2.3.36)
βs −αc α s = βc βs αs
− ββ c αα s − αα c ββ s − ββ c − αα c

Working out the determinants and using βc2 + βs2 = 1, and αc2 - αs2 = e2ika, one finds:

(α 2 − β 2 ) sinh αb sin β (a − b) exp ika + 2αβ cosh αb cos β ( a − b) exp ika = αβ (1 + (2.3.37)

And finally, substituting βc, βs, αc and αs:

α2 −β2 (2.3.38)
cos ka = F = sinh αb sin β (a − b) + cosh αb cos β ( a − b)
2αβ

where eika + e-ika was replaced by 2cos ka.

A further simplification is obtained as the barrier width, b, is reduced to zero while the barrier
height, V0, is increased to infinity in such manner that the product, bV0, remains constant and the
potential becomes a delta function train at x = a and repeated with a period of a, namely bV0δ(x –
b – na) where n is an integer. As b approaches zero, sinhαb approaches αb. Equation (2.3.25)
then reduces to:

sin β a (2.3.39)
cos ka = F = P + cos β a
βa

with

2mE mV0 ba (2.3.40)

β= and P =
h h2