Particle in a box

• Consider a “particle in a box,” i.e. a particle of mass m confined to a region between x = 0 and x = L.
The potential energy is zero inside the “box” and infinite outside (see figure at lower right). The
equation inside the box will be the same as for a free particle (U(x) = 0), but if it has finite total energy,
then it cannot exist outside the box. This changes the solutions due to the boundary conditions.
One simplest way of restricting a quantum-mechanical system is to restrict it to a one dimensional ‘box’. The walls of the
box are assumed to be perfectly elastic, and rigid, and the particle moves freely between these walls.

Figure 2: Potential energy for s particle in a one-dimensional box. The potential energy is infinite at x = 0 and x = L.

If the particle has energy E and momentum P = 2𝑚𝐸, then the harmonic waves traveling to the right and the left
along the x-axis are, respectively,
n is called the quantum number. Thus we obtain an important result. The particle cannot possess
any value of energy as assumed in classical case, but it possesses only discrete set of energy
values.
Fig. 10.3 Energy-level diagram for a particle in (a) 1-D box
Particle in a box: Probability and normalization
• Note that this view of matter as waves leads directly to the
idea of quantized energy levels! The figure at right shows the
first three stationary-state wave functions (x) for a particle
in a box (top) and the associated probability distribution
functions |(x)|2 (bottom). There are locations where there is
zero probability of finding the particle. What about the
constant C in our solution (x) = Csin npx/L ?
• Wave functions must be normalized so that the integral of the
probability density function |(x)|2 over all x equals 1 (which
means there is 100% probability of finding the particle
somewhere).

• We can evaluate this using the identity sin2q = ½ (1- cos 2q )

to get C = (2/L)½. The final, normalized solution is then

  np x
  ( x) dx =  C 2 sin 2 dx = 1
2
- - L

2 np x
 n ( x) = sin
L L
 Finite potential well
• The finite potential well (also known as the finite square well
• It is an extension of the infinite potential well, in which a particle is
confined to a "box", but one which has finite potential "walls".
• Unlike the infinite potential well, there is a probability associated with
the particle being found outside the box.
• The quantum mechanical interpretation is unlike the classical
interpretation, where if the total energy of the particle is less than the
potential energy barrier of the walls it cannot be found outside the box.
• In the quantum interpretation, there is a non-zero probability of the
particle being outside the box even when the energy of the particle is
less than the potential energy barrier of the walls
 PARTICLE IN A FINITE POTENTIAL WELLS
• Consider a particle of mass m moving with velocity v along the x-direction between x = 0 and x = a.
• The walls of the box are not rigid. Hence it is represented by a potential well of finite depth.
Step I: Let E be the total energy of particle inside the box and v be its P.E. The potential energy which is
assumed to be zero within the box and its value outside the box is finite say V0 and V0 > E.
The variation of potential with x is shown in fig.
Finite Square Well
• In regions I and III
 2 d 2 I
- 2
+ V I = E I
2m dx
d 2 I 2m(V0 - E )
2
- k I  I = 0 where k I = k III =
2

dx 

• In region II

 2 d 2 II
- 2
= E II
2m dx
d 2 II 2mE
2
+ k II II = 0 where k II = k =
2

dx 
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