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Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Transmission–reflection problem with a potential of the form of the derivative of the delta function

F. Masafumi Toyama, Yukihisa Nogami

Published Jul 3, 2007• 48 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Regarding the quantum mechanical transmission–reflection problem in one dimension with a potential of the form of the derivative of the Dirac delta function δ'(x) = dδ(x)/dx, Christiansen et al recently found that, depending on how δ'(x) is interpreted, there can be a resonance which leads to partial transmission. This is in contrast to the earlier consensus that such a potential allows no transmission. The δ'(x) can be regarded as the narrow-width limit of a certain function Δ'(x) of a finite range. Christiansen et al assumed a rectangular function for Δ'(x). We examine various other forms and how the resonance depends on the shape of Δ'(x). We also present some general observations related to the 'threshold anomaly'.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/40/29/f05

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Regarding the quantum mechanical transmission–reflection problem in one dimension with a potential of the form of the derivative of the Dirac delta function δ'(x) = dδ(x)/dx, Christiansen et al recently found that, depending on how δ'(x) is interpreted, there can be a resonance which leads to partial transmission. This is in contrast to the earlier consensus that such a potential allows no transmission. The δ'(x) can be regarded as the narrow-width limit of a certain function Δ'(x) of a finite range. Christiansen et al assumed a rectangular function for Δ'(x). We examine various other forms and how the resonance depends on the shape of Δ'(x). We also present some general observations related to the 'threshold anomaly'.
In one-dimensional scattering, the portion of particles that is transmitted in general vanishes as the kinetic energy of the incident particles approaches zero. Based upon published results from the literature, the present work shows that for a potential consisting of two Dirac δ functions of arbitrary strength, a finite portion of the incident particles is transmitted at threshold for certain choices of the set of parameters defining the potential. The underlying reasons are shown to be related to the structure of the bound levels of the potential. It is shown that for a potential with a finite range but of general shape the reflection coefficient in general tends to unity near threshold, which is what is usually observed. However, in the presence of a bound level at the onset of the continuum, a finite portion of the incident particles is transmitted at threshold for a potential with a general shape and, furthermore, it can be shown that if the potential V is symmetric with V(x)=V(−x) then resonance transmission is observed, i.e., the reflection coefficient vanishes at threshold.
Abstract We study a general double Dirac delta potential to show that this is the simplest yet still versatile solvable potential to introduce double wells, avoided crossings, resonances and perfect transmission ( T = 1). Perfect transmission energies turn out to be the critical property of symmetric and anti-symmetric cases wherein these discrete energies are found to correspond to the eigenvalues of a Dirac delta potential placed symmetrically between two rigid walls. For well(s) or barrier(s), perfect transmission (or zero reflectivity, R ( E ) ) at energy E = 0 is non-intuitive. However, this has been found earlier and called the ‘threshold anomaly’. Here we show that it is a critical phenomenon and we can have 0 ≤ R ( 0 ) < 1 when the parameters of the double delta potential satisfy an interesting condition. We also invoke a zero-energy and zero curvature eigenstate ( ψ ( x ) = Ax + B ) of the delta well between two symmetric rigid walls for R ( 0 ) = 0 . We resolve that the resonant energies and the perfect transmission energies are different and they arise differently.
Abstract In this research, we present a Python-based solution designed to simulate a one-dimensional quantum system that incorporates multiple Dirac δ − potentials. The primary aim of this research is to investigate the scattering problem within such a system. By developing this program, we can generate wave functions throughout the system and compute transmission and reflection amplitudes analytically and numerically for an infinite range of combinations involving potential strengths, potential separations, and the number of potential centers in the form of the Dirac δ − functions. Furthermore, by modifying the code, we investigate the so-called ‘transmission resonances’ which yields the energy of the quantum particles undergoing a perfect transmission. Subsequently, our research is extended by considering impurities in the system.
A “one-point” approximation is proposed to investigate the transmission of electrons through the extra thin heterostructures composed of two parallel plane layers. The typical example is the bilayer for which the squeezed potential profile is the derivative of Dirac’s delta function. The Schr¨odinger equation with this singular one-dimensional profile produces a family of contact (point) interactions each of which (called a “distributional” б′-potential) depends on the way of regularization. The discrepancies widely discussed so far in the literature regarding the family of delta derivative potentials are eliminated using a two-scale power-connecting parametrization of the bilayer potential that enables one to extend the family of distributional б′-potentials to a whole class of “generalized” б′-potentials. In a squeezed limit of the bilayer structure to zero thickness, the resonant tunneling through this structure is shown to occur in the form of sharp peaks located on the sets of Lebesgue’s measure zero (called resonance sets). A four-dimensional parameter space is introduced for the representation of these sets. The transmission on the complement sets in the parameter space is shown to be completely opaque.
Abstract In this paper, we propose a pedagogical presentation of the Lippmann–Schwinger equation as a powerful tool, so as to obtain important scattering information. In particular, we consider a one-dimensional system with a Schrödinger-type free Hamiltonian decorated with a sequence of N attractive Dirac delta interactions. We first write the Lippmann–Schwinger equation for the system and then solve it explicitly in terms of an N × N matrix. Then, we discuss the reflection and the transmission coefficients for an arbitrary number of centres and study the threshold anomaly for the N = 2 and N = 4 cases. We also study further features like the quantum metastable states and resonances, including their corresponding Gamow functions and virtual or antibound states. The use of the Lippmann–Schwinger equation simplifies our analysis enormously and gives exact results for an arbitrary number of Dirac delta potentials.