Lecture 12

The Finite Potential Well: A Quantum Well

In this lecture you will learn:

• Particle in a finite potential well

• Bound and unbound states in quantum physics

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D
Consider a particle placed inside a 1D potential box

Inside the box the potential energy V(x) is 0

Outside the box the potential energy V(x) is U

V=U V=U

V=0

L 2 0 L2 x

We assume:
E
i t
  x ,t     x  e 

2    x 
2
  V  x    x   E  x 
2m x 2

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Semiconductor Quantum Wells
Ec 2 Ec 2
Ec 1  Ec
A thin (~1-10 nm) narrow
bandgap material AlGaAs GaAs AlGaAs
sandwiched between two Ev 1
wide bandgap materials
Ev 2 Ev 2

Semiconductor quantum wells can be composed of pretty much any semiconductor

from the groups II, III, IV, V, and VI of the periodic table
TEM micrograph
GaAs
GaAs
InGaAs
quantum well
(1-10 nm)

InGaAs
GaAs

GaAs

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 x
Potential Well in Silicon MOS Transistors

NMOS Band diagram

SiO2

Si

Ec  E 2
Ef
Ec  E1

Ec
Inversion layer
(2D Electron gas)

100 nm
x
A 50 nm gate MOS transistor (INTEL)

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

Example (Electronics): HEMTs (High Electron Mobility Transistors)
The HEMT operates like a MOS
Source Gate Drain transistor:
The application of a positive or
AlGaAs negative bias on the gate can
InGaAs (Quantum Well) increase or decrease the electron
density in the quantum well channel
thereby changing the current density
GaAs (Substrate)

InGaAs InGaAs
QW QW
GaAs
GaAs

AlGaAs AlGaAs

Metal Metal

Modulation doping Band diagram in

equilibrium

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Example (Photonics): Semiconductor Quantum Well Lasers
A quantum well laser (band diagram) A ridge waveguide laser structure

electrons
stimulated and metal
spontaneous
emission

non-radiative photon
recombination

N-doped P-doped

holes
Some advantages of quantum wells for All lasers used in
laser applications: fiber optical
• Low laser threshold currents due to communication
reduced density of states systems are
• High speed laser current modulation semiconductor
due to large differential gain quantum well
• Ability to control emission lasers
wavelength via quantum size effect

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Nobel Prize: Semiconductor Quantum Well Lasers

Herbert Kroemer (1928-)

Nobel Prize (2000)
Fiber Optics and the Internet
Quantum well lasers: powering up the internet

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Semiconductor Quantum Dots: A 3D Finite Potential Well
Core-shell colloidal quantum dots
(Mostly II-VI semiconductors)

CdSe

CdTe

InAs quantum dots (MBE)

TEM of a PbS quantum dot

GaAs substrate

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Semiconductor Quantum Dots: Wonders of Quantum Size Effect
CdTe E photon
2
2  
Ec 1  Ec    Ec 1
2me R
photon
CdSe 2
   Ev 1
Ev 1  Ev   
2 mh  R  gQD E 

Photoluminescence from CdSe/ZnS Photoluminescence from

(core-shell colloidal) quantum dots of CdTe/CdSe (core-shell
different sizes (~2-6 nm) pumped with the colloidal) quantum dots of
same laser different sizes

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Quantum Dots: Biology Applications

CdSe/ZnS quqntum dot

coated with DHLA and
functionalized with
maltose binding protein
(MBP) and Avidin

Motion of quantum-dot-attached-RNA
into cells monitored by the luminescence
(the quantum dots used are CdSe (core)
and ZnS (shell)

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 Quantum Dots: Biology Applications
Invitro microscopy of the binding of EGF to
erbB1

erB1 bound to eGFP (enhanced green

fluorescent protein)
EGF (epidermal growth factor) bound to
quantum dot
Movie shows binding of EGF tagged with
fluorescent quantum dots to erB1 tagged
with the green fluorescent protein
Nat. Biotechnol., 22, 198-203 (2004)

CdSe
Polymer coating
ZnS

Imaging of antibody (PSMA) coated

quantum dots targeting cancer tumors cells

Nat. Biotechnol., 22, 969 (2004)

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University
 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D
I II III

1) Inside the potential well we have (region II):

2    x 
2
 2
 E  x  V(x)=0 inside
2m x

2) Outside the potential well we have (regions I and III):

2    x 
2
V(x)=U outside
 2
 U   x   E  x 
2m x
Boundary conditions:

The wavefunction and its derivative are continuous at the boundaries

between the regions

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Parity of the Potential
I II III

Notice that:
V x   V  x  (Even parity, inversion symmetry)

This means (from homework 4) that wavefunctions can be chosen to have a

definite parity:

 x     x     x     x 
(Even parity) (Odd parity)

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Bound Solutions

3 I II III

2
1

Inside the potential well we have (region II):

2    x 
2
 2
 E  x  V(x)=0 inside
2 m x
Solutions with even parity:
 2k 2
  x   A cos  kx   E k=??
2m
Solutions with odd parity: E=??
 2k 2
  x   A sin  kx   E
2m
We write them both together for convenience as:

 L   A cos  kx  Even solutions

 x    
 2   A sin  kx  Odd solutions
ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University
 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Bound Solutions

3 I II III
 L   A cos  kx 
2  x    
 2   A sin  kx 
1

Outside the potential well we have (region I and III):

2    x 
2
 2
 U   x   E  x  V(x)=0 inside
2 m x
We write them both together for convenience as:
  x  L 2    x  L 2
 L  Be  L   Be =??
x     x     E=??
 2  Be    x  L 2   2  Be    x  L 2 
 
Plugging these solutions into the Schrodinger equation gives:
 2 2
 E U
2m
2m 2m
  2
U  E   2
U  k2 For bound solutions to exist: E<U
 
ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University
 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Bound Solutions

3 I II III

2
1

  x  L 2   x  L 2 
 L   Be  L   A cos  kx   L  Be
x      x     x    
 2   Be    x  L 2   2   A sin  kx   2  Be   x  L 2 
 
Wave function and its derivative must be continuous at x=L/2 :

 A cos  kL / 2   B  Ak sin  kL / 2    B
 (1)  (2)
 A sin  kL / 2   B  Ak cos  kL / 2    B
Divide (2) by (1) gives:
 2m 2
 U  k
 tan  k L     
2

 Even solutions
Transcendental  2 k k
equation in k 
 2m 2
 U  k
 L   2
  cot  k    Odd solutions
  2 k k
ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University
 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Bound Solutions

3 I II III

2
1

Plot the LHS and RHS as a function of k

Intersection points will give you the eigenvalues
LHS vs RHS curves
Different red curves for increasing U values

 2m 2
 U  k
 tan  k L     
2 1

  2 k k 2
 1

 2m 2
 U  k 1 2
3
 L   2
  cot  k   
  2 k k 0   3 2 5 kL 2
2 2 2

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 The Infinite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Sanity Check
LHS vs RHS curves
U=∞ U=∞
Different red curves for
n=3 increasing U values
1
2
3
n=2

n=1

L 2 0 L2 x

In the limit U → ∞ we get for the

n-th solution:

kn 1
L
1 2

1 2
3

0   3 2 5 kL 2
2 2 2

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University

 The Finite Potential Well Problem in 1D: Unbound Solutions

3 I II III

2
1

A finite potential well has a continuum of higher energy solutions that are not
bound inside the well

These higher energy solutions behave more or less like free-particle plane wave
solutions

ECE 3030 – Summer 2009 – Cornell University