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arXiv:2210.07359

Lambert W Lines and Finite Square Well Sensors

Roberts, Ken, N. Jisrawi, J. Jeyasitharam, Shreyas Suresh, Deshmukh, P. C., S. R. Valluri

Published Oct 12, 2022• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The bound state energies of a 1-dimensional finite quantum square well (FSW) can be determined using a geometric method, involving a smooth mapping between two copies of the complex plane. The method allows one to identify particular strengths of the FSW at which the system can become unusually sensitive to changes in the well depth or geometry. In the present paper we explore that sensitivity, and exhibit a 3-D visualization of the solutions.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2210.07359

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The bound state energies of a 1-dimensional finite quantum square well (FSW) can be determined using a geometric method, involving a smooth mapping between two copies of the complex plane. The method allows one to identify particular strengths of the FSW at which the system can become unusually sensitive to changes in the well depth or geometry. In the present paper we explore that sensitivity, and exhibit a 3-D visualization of the solutions.
We present a solution of the quantum mechanics problem of the allowable energy levels of a bound particle in a one-dimensional finite square well. The method is a geometric-analytic technique utilizing the conformal mapping w -> z = we(w) between two complex domains. The solution of the finite square well problem can be seen to be described by the images of simple geometric shapes, lines, and circles, under this map and its inverse image. The technique can also be described using the Lambert W function. One can work in either of the complex domains, thereby obtaining additional insight into the finite square well problem and its bound energy states. This suggests interesting possibilities for the design of materials that are sensitive to minute changes in their environment such as nanostructures and the quantum well infrared photodetector.
We present a solution of the quantum mechanics problem of the allowable energy levels of a bound particle in a one-dimensional finite square well. The method is a geometric-analytic technique utilizing the conformal mapping w → z = wew between two complex domains. The solution of the finite square well problem can be seen to be described by the images of simple geometric shapes, lines, and circles, under this map and its inverse image. The technique can also be described using the Lambert W function. One can work in either of the complex domains, thereby obtaining additional insight into the finite square well problem and its bound energy states. This suggests interesting possibilities for the design of materials that are sensitive to minute changes in their environment such as nanostructures and the quantum well infrared photodetector.
The quantum Finite Square Well (FSW) model is a well-known topic in most quantum mechanics (QM) books.A couple of equations can be derived from one dimensional Schrodinger equation for a finite potential well for describing the bound Eigen states within the well.Sometimes the FSW problem does not have an exact solution, yet, there are in fact exact solutions.In this work a computational techniques is adopted to find the exact solution for FSW.To achieve this computational solution, a computer program has been written in Basic language for calculating the Eigen state energy for a particle confined in finite potential well using the iterative method (IM).Six values of potential width have been studied with potential depth.The results showed that wider potential width led us to more bound states, while narrower potential width led us to less bound states.Six values of potential depth have been studied with potential width.The results showed that larger potential depth led us to more bound states, while smaller potential width led us to less bound states.A Comparison Between Finite and Infinite Potential Well has been also presented.The result of comparison showed that energy levels of an infinite well are much higher than that the corresponding energy levels for finite potential well.In general, the matching between the results of the iterative method and the graphical method (GM) proving that the iteration method can be regarded as a useful tool for describing the solutions of the 1-dimensional FSW problem.
The computation of allowed energy levels for a particle bounded to a finite square well potential is ubiquitous in modern physics and introductory quantum mechanics textbooks. For stationary bound states, the matching conditions for the wave functions lead to a pair of transcendental equations whose roots correspond to the energy eigenvalues. However, the graphical solutions available do not make clear the dependence of the energies on the well potential parameters. In this note, I present a simpler graphical solution involving only one dimensionless parameter that determines a straight-line crossing identical sinusoidal curves. I then reduce this solution to a single cosine curve, and from a three-point interpolation, I derive an approximate formula for all energy levels valid for any square quantum well and that demands only a pocket calculator.
The three principal graphical methods for obtaining the energy eigenvalues of the finite square well potential are presented. The simplest method, with sine, cosine and straight line, is provided with an easily applied rule, based on a physically obvious argument, for eliminating the unacceptable roots. The forms of the wavefunctions within the well, and the corresponding linear probability densities, are derived directly from the method. A simple extension of the method allows the energy level spectrum to be obtained directly on a linear energy scale. The variations of the energy eigenvalues with well depth and width are separately and jointly displayed, and explicit corresponding functional relationships are derived. Finally, two universal graphs are deduced, each of which allows the rapid appreciation and calculation of the dependence of the energy levels on the depth and width of the well and on the mass of the particle.