13-03-2022

QUANTUM
TUNNELLING
ATHAK YADAV
ID:- 202151033
 Aim:
 To observe the transmitted and reflected waves through a potential
barrier by:

1. Changing the width of the barrier.

2. Direction of the incoming wave.
3. Change the E/V ratio and see the impact on T & R.
 Theory:
 Quantum tunneling: Quantum tunneling is the phenomenon in which particles penetrate a
potential energy barrier with a height greater than the total energy of the particles this
property of the microscopic particles plays an important role in explaining several physical
properties including radioactive decay.

 Mechanical and quantum realm: wherein consideration to the classical physics it becomes
impossible for a visible particle to cross a barrier ex. (Consider you are throwing a ball on a
high wall so the probability of it crossing the wall is impossible), however, in the quantum
realm, it’s rare but possible for an electron or atom to appear on the other side of the wall as
if a tunnel is dug through the wall.

In the above figure, the ball crosses the hill in the quantum realm, while the
ball can’t cross the hill in classical mechanics.
  Conditions required:

For a quantum particle to tunnel through a barrier three conditions must be required

1. The height of the barrier must be finite and the thickness of the barrier should be thin.

2. The potential energy of the barrier exceeds the kinetic energy of the particle (E>V).

3. The particle has wave properties because the wave function is able to penetrate through the
barrier. This suggests that quantum tunneling only apply to microscopic objects such as
proton or electrons and does not apply to macroscopic objects
 Observation Table 1:
Changing the width of the barrier:

Parameters:

 Total energy: - 0.80 eV.

 Direction of the incoming wave: left to right.
 Initial width of the wave packet: 1 nm.
 Initial position of the wave packet: -2.5 nm
 Observation Table 2:
Changing the direction of the incoming wave:

Parameters:

 Total energy: - 0.83 eV.

 Initial width of the wave packet: 1 nm.
 Initial position of the wave packet: -2.5 nm
 Observation Table 3:
Changing the E/V Ratio:

Parameters:

 Direction of incoming wave: left to right.

 Initial width of the wave packet: 1.7 nm.
 Initial position of the wave packet: -2.7 nm
 Result:
In this experiment, we got to know about quantum tunneling and how various parameters can
change the nature of waves as well as the reflection and transmittance, some of the following
properties are,

 With the change in width as well the potential energy, the value of transmittance and
reflectance changes.
 Changing the total energy affects the value of transmittance and reflectance.
 The value of reflectance and transmittance are always 0 and 1 if we change the direction of
moving incoming wave from right to left.