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American Journal of Physics

Multiple scattering approach to one-dimensional potential problems

Arlen Anderson

Published Mar 1, 1989• 30 citations
Publisher

Abstract

By calculating the reflection and transmission coefficients for a square potential barrier in terms of a series of scatterings at step potential discontinuities, a multiple scattering approach to potential problems is presented. This approach is applied to WKB potential problems by interpreting the WKB connection formulas in terms of reflection and transmission coefficients at each turning point. An algorithm for the systematic construction of the energy Green’s function is given. The significance of complex coordinate turning points is demonstrated. The equivalence of this approach and that of the Gaussian approximation of the path integral is mentioned briefly.

DOI
10.1119/1.16095

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By calculating the reflection and transmission coefficients for a square potential barrier in terms of a series of scatterings at step potential discontinuities, a multiple scattering approach to potential problems is presented. This approach is applied to WKB potential problems by interpreting the WKB connection formulas in terms of reflection and transmission coefficients at each turning point. An algorithm for the systematic construction of the energy Green’s function is given. The significance of complex coordinate turning points is demonstrated. The equivalence of this approach and that of the Gaussian approximation of the path integral is mentioned briefly.
We show how quantum mechanical barrier reflection and transmission coefficients ℛ and 𝒯 can be obtained from asymptotic Green functions. We exemplify our results by calculating such coefficients for the Rosen-Morse (RM) potential. For multiple barrier potentials, V ( x ) = ∑ j V ( j ) ( x ), where each V ( j ) goes to zero for x →±∞, we derive the asymptotic Green functions by a generalized semiclassical approximation, which is based on the usual sum over classical paths considered only in the classically allowed regions and includes local quantum effects through the individual ℛ ( j ) and 𝒯 ( j ) . The approach is applied to double RM potentials and to Woods-Saxon barriers. We obtain analytical expressions for the transmission and reflection probabilities of these potentials which are very accurate when compared with exact numerical calculations, being much better than the usual WKB approximation. Finally we briefly discuss how to extend the present method to other kinds of potential.
An alternative approach to the one-dimensional scattering problem is presented. We show that the reflection and the transmission coefficients of any number of quantum wells or barriers can directly be obtained by using two mathematical methods. The first method arises from a generalization of the so-called elementary symmetric functions used in the mathematical theory of polynomials; the second one consists of a complex generalization of Einstein's addition law for parallel velocities. These laws for the reflection and transmission amplitude coefficients permit a rapid evaluation of the transmittivity of any kind of potential barrier. Some examples are considered. Results are compared with the ones obtained with the WKB method. We also present a numerical study to test the stability of the method.
A recurrence method for analytical and numerical evaluation of tunneling, transmission, and reflection amplitudes is developed. As the first step, a rule for composition of two arbitrary scatterers separated by a region of constant potential is obtained. Transmission and reflection amplitudes for this double-barrier potential are expressed in terms of transmission and reflection amplitudes for its subparts. As the length of the constant-potential region can be arbitrary and the subparts of a potential may, in turn, be arbitrary segmented potentials, one obtains formulas recurerence formulas which express the scattering amplitudes for the arbitrary segmented potential via the scattering amplitudes for the subparts into which the complete potential can be divided. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated by solving analytically the problem of scattering from locally periodic potentials. Since an arbitrary potential can be approximated by a set of infinitely narrow rectangular barriers, the recurrence formulas can be applied to any potential, giving, in the limit of zero-width segments, differential equations for transmission, and reflection amplitudes.
A method of approximating solutions of the one-dimensional Schr\"odinger equation is presented in this paper. The method closely resembles the usual WKB approximation. Whereas in the ordinary WKB method the exponential function is used as the basis of the approximation, in this paper the solutions of an arbitrary Schr\"odinger equation are used. The general advantage is that by proper choice of the arbitrary equation an improved approximation can be obtained. The method is illustrated by treating the potential well and potential barrier problems when there are two turning points. The approximations to the wave functions are continuous even across the turning points. The barrier transmission problem is treated uniformly for energies above and below the peak of the barrier.