For application of WKB method of approximation

1. First find the turning points 𝑥1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥2 from the condition 𝜀 = 𝑉(𝑥1 ) ; 𝜀 = 𝑉(𝑥2 )
2. Write 𝜀 interms of the turning point
3. Integrate as per eqn ( ) and use the quantum condition.
1 𝑥2 1
∫ √2𝑚{𝜀 − 𝑉(𝑥)}𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1 2

Example 1 Harmonic Oscillator

1
𝑉(𝑥) = 2 𝑚𝜔2 𝑥 2

1
the turning points 𝜀 = 𝑚𝜔2 𝑥12 ;
2

2𝜀 2𝜀
𝑥1 = −√ 2
= −𝑎 (𝑠𝑎𝑦) , 𝑎 = √
𝑚𝜔 𝑚𝜔 2

2𝜀
𝑥2 = √ = 𝑎;
𝑚𝜔 2

1
𝜀 = 𝑚𝜔2 𝑎2
2

using the quantum condition

1 𝑥2 1
∫ √2𝑚{𝜀 − 𝑉(𝑥)}𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1 2

𝑎
1 1
∫ √2𝑚 𝑚𝜔 2 {𝑎 2 − 𝑥 2 }𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
−𝑎 2 2

𝑎
1
𝑚𝜔 ∫ √{𝑎2 − 𝑥 2 }𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
−𝑎 2

With change of variable

𝜋 𝜋
𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 ; 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑎 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝜃, ; 𝑥 → −𝑎 ⟹ 𝜃 → − ; 𝑥→𝑎⟹𝜃→
2 2
𝜋/2
1
𝑚𝜔 ∫ 𝑎2 cos2 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
−𝜋/2 2

𝑚𝜔𝑎2 𝜋/2 1
∫ (1 + cos 2𝜃)𝑑𝜃 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 −𝜋/2 2

𝑚𝜔𝑎2 sin 2𝜃 𝜋/2 1

{𝜃 + }| = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 2 −𝜋/2 2
 𝑚𝜔𝑎2 1
𝜋 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 2
𝜀 1 1
𝜋 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ ; 𝜀 = (𝑛 + ) ℎ𝜔
𝜔 2 2

Quantum well with one side blocked by infinite potential wall

Here we have one turning point at 𝑥2 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝜀 = 𝑉(𝑥2 )

And the other turning point at 𝑥1 = 0 𝑖. 𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙.

As we have dis cussed while dealing with WKB approximation for the
region 𝑥1 < 𝑥 < 𝑥2 ,the wave function is

𝐶 1
𝜓𝐼𝐼 (𝑥) = sin (ℏ ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + 𝜑)
√𝑝(𝑥)

Where 𝜑 is a phase factor that can be determined

Further at the turning point 𝑥2 , the phase can be determined as π/4 and
the wave function appears as

𝐶2 1 𝑥 𝜋
𝜓𝐼𝐼 (𝑥) = sin ( ∫𝑥 2 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + ) same as Eqn ( )
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 4

Further at the turning point 𝑥1 ,I.e. at infinite potential wall, the wave function has to be zero. So
thewave function appears as

𝐶1 1 𝑥
𝜓𝐼𝐼 (𝑥) = sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥)
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥1

As both the wave functions represent same particle

𝐶1 1 𝑥 𝐶2 1 𝑥2 𝜋
sin ( ∫ ( )
𝑝 𝑥 𝑑𝑥) = sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + )
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥1 √𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥 4

1 𝑥 1 𝑥2 𝜋
𝐶1 sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥) = 𝐶2 sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + )
ℏ 𝑥1 ℏ 𝑥 4

This eqn looks as 𝐶1 sin 𝜃1 = 𝐶2 sin 𝜃2 implying 𝜃1 + 𝜃2 = (𝑛 + 1)𝜋, 𝑛 = 0,1, 2 ….

1 𝑥 1 𝑥2 𝜋
∫ 𝑝 (𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + = (𝑛 + 1)𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1 ℏ 𝑥 4

1 𝑥 3
∫ 2 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
ℏ 𝑥1
= (𝑛 + ) 𝜋 the quantum condition
4
Example3 : Harmonic Oscillator with infinite wall at x = 0

First turning point =𝑥1 = 0

1
Second turning point 𝑥2 obtained from 𝜀 = 2 𝑚𝜔2 𝑥22 ;

2𝜀 2𝜀 ε
𝑥2 = √𝑚𝜔2 = 𝑎 (𝑠𝑎𝑦) , 𝑎 = √𝑚𝜔2

1
𝜀 = 𝑚𝜔2 𝑎2
2

1 𝑥2 3 a
∫ √2𝑚{𝜀 − 𝑉(𝑥)}𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1 4

𝑎
1 3
∫ √2𝑚 𝑚𝜔 2 {𝑎 2 − 𝑥 2 }𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
0 2 4

𝑎
3
𝑚𝜔 ∫ √{𝑎2 − 𝑥 2 }𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
−𝑎 4

With change of variable

𝜋
𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 ; 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑎 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝜃, ; 𝑥→0⟹𝜃→0 ; 𝑥→𝑎⟹𝜃→
2
𝜋/2
3
𝑚𝜔 ∫ 𝑎2 cos2 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
0 4

𝑚𝜔𝑎2 𝜋/2 3
∫ (1 + cos 2𝜃)𝑑𝜃 = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 0 4

𝑚𝜔𝑎2 sin 2𝜃 𝜋/2 3

{𝜃 + }| = (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 2 0 4

𝑚𝜔𝑎2 𝜋 3
= (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ
2 2 4
𝜀𝜋 3 3 3
= (𝑛 + ) 𝜋ℏ ; 𝜀 = (𝑛 + ) 2ℎ𝜔 ; 𝜀 = (2𝑛 + ) ℏ𝜔, 𝑛 = 0,1,2 𝑒𝑡𝑐
𝜔2 4 4 2
3 7 11
; 𝜀 = ℏ𝜔, ℏ𝜔, ℏ𝜔, … ..
2 2 2
Quantum well with both side blocked by infinite potential wall at x1= 0 and x2 = a

The turning points are at x1= 0 and x2 = a.

As at both turning point the wave function vanishes , i.e. becomes zero we have at the left turning
point

𝐶1 1 𝑥
𝜓𝐼𝐼 (𝑥) = sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥)
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥1

Similarly at the right turning point

𝐶2 1 𝑥2
𝜓𝐼𝐼 (𝑥) = sin ( ∫ 𝑝 (𝑥)𝑑𝑥 )
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥

As both represents same particle

𝐶1 1 𝑥 𝐶2 1 𝑥2
sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 ) = sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥)
√𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥1 √𝑝(𝑥) ℏ 𝑥

1 𝑥 1 𝑥2
𝐶1 sin ( ∫ 𝑝 𝑥 𝑑𝑥) = 𝐶2 sin ( ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 )
( )
ℏ 𝑥1 ℏ 𝑥

This eqn looks as 𝐶1 sin 𝜃1 = 𝐶2 sin 𝜃2 implying 𝜃1 + 𝜃2 = (𝑛 + 1)𝜋, 𝑛 = 0,1, 2 ….

1 𝑥 1 𝑥2
∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 = (𝑛 + 1)𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1 ℏ 𝑥

1 𝑥
∫ 2 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
ℏ 𝑥1
= (𝑛 + 1)𝜋 , 𝑛 = 0,1,2, ….

1 𝑥
∫ 2 𝑝(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
ℏ 𝑥1
= 𝑛𝜋 , 𝑛 = 1,2, 3 ….

1 𝑥2
∫ √2𝑚{𝜀 − 𝑉(𝑥)}𝑑𝑥 = 𝑛𝜋
ℏ 𝑥1

Under the condition (𝒙) = 𝟎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝟎 < 𝒙 < 𝒂 , the above equation becomes

1 𝑎
∫ √2𝑚𝜀𝑑𝑥 = 𝑛𝜋
ℏ 0

√2𝑚𝜀
𝑎 = 𝑛𝜋
ℏ

Squaring both sides , we get

𝑛𝜋ℏ 2 𝑛2 𝜋 2 ℏ2 𝑛2 ℎ 2
2𝑚𝜀 = ( ) ⟹ 𝜀= ⟹ 𝜀=
𝑎 2𝑚𝑎2 8𝑚𝑎2