Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Physics Conference Series

Transmission and Reflection of Wave Packets by Asymmetric Semi-Harmonic Potential Barriers

Alfonso Jaimes-Nájera

Published Mar 1, 2016• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study the scattering of a particle by a square barrier potential that has a parabolic hole in between. The barrier is parameterized in such a form that the hole can be partially or completely removed. This can be also chosen to be symmetric or asymmetric with respect to the hole. Some expressions for the phase time are given and the time spent by the particle in the interaction zone of the barrier is calculated. It is shown that the related time delay depends on the symmetry operations that one can do on the potential.

DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/698/1/012030

Related papers

RECOVERING THE STATIONARY PHASE CONDITION FOR ACCURATELY OBTAINING SCATTERING AND TUNNELING TIMES

Alex E. Bernardini

The stationary phase method is often employed for computing tunneling phase times of analytically-continuous gaussian or infinite-bandwidth step pulses which collide with a potential barrier. The indiscriminate utilization of this method without considering the barrier boundary effects leads to some misconceptions in the interpretation of the phase times. After re-examining the above barrier diffusion problem where we notice the wave packet collision necessarily leads to the possibility of multiple reflected and transmitted wave packets, we study the phase times for tunneling/reflecting particles in a framework where an idea of multiple wave packet decomposition is recovered. To partially overcome the analytical incongruities which rise up when tunneling phase time expressions are obtained, we present a theoretical exercise involving a symmetrical collision between two identical wave packets and a one-dimensional squared potential barrier, where the scattered wave packets can be recomposed by summing the amplitudes of simultaneously reflected and transmitted waves.

arXiv:0711.4735•International Journal of Modern Physics B•Apr 10, 2009•0 citations

Reflection of wave packets from a quantum well with a tunneling transmission resonance

A Gomez Edgar

The reflection of wave packets from a quantum well bounded by rectangular potential barriers, and which has a tunneling transmission resonance, is discussed. Numeric solutions to Schrödinger’s time-dependent equation show that the shape of the probability function ψψ* for a reflected wave packet can be quite different from that of the incident packet. Either a symmetric double hump or an asymmetric shape are possible for the reflected ψψ*, depending on the sharpness of the resonance. These shapes are explained analytically in terms of the reflection coefficient.

American Journal of Physics•Feb 1, 1995•8 citations

Asymptotes and characteristic times for transmission and reflection

Nikolay Leonidovich Chuprikov

A complete one-dimensional scattering of a spinless particle on a time-independent potential barrier is considered. To describe separately transmitted and reflected particles in the corresponding subsets of identical experiments, we introduce the notions of scattering channels for transmission and reflection. We find for both channels the (unitary) scattering matrices and reconstruct, by known out asymptotes (i.e., by the transmitted and reflected wave packets), the corresponding in asymptotes. Unlike the out asymptotes for transmission and reflection, their in asymptotes represent nonorthogonal functions. As is shown, the position distributions of to-be-transmitted and to-be-reflected particles, except their average positions, are unpredictable. At the same time, the momentum distributions of these particles are physically meaningful and can be observed to the full. We show that both the subensembles of particles must start (on the average) from the same spatial point, and the momentum distributions of to-be-scattered and scattered particles must be the same for each scattering channel. Taking into account these properties, we define the (individual) delay times for transmission and reflection for wave packets of an arbitrary width. Besides, to estimate the duration of the scattering event, we derive the expression for a (total) scattering time.

arXiv:quant-ph/0301113•Jan 22, 2003•0 citations

The step-harmonic potential

Luca Rizzi, Oliver Fabio Piattella, Sergio L. Cacciatori +1 more

We analyze the behavior of a quantum system described by a one-dimensional asymmetric potential consisting of a step plus a harmonic barrier. We solve the eigenvalue equation by the integral representation method, which allows us to classify the independent solutions as equivalence classes of homotopic paths in the complex plane. We then consider the propagation of a wave packet reflected by the harmonic barrier and obtain an expression for the interaction time as a function of the peak energy. For high energies we recover the classical half-period limit.

arXiv:0912.3198•American Journal of Physics•Jul 14, 2010•4 citations

Tunneling time through a rectangular barrier

Verissimo Manoel de Aquino, Valdir C. Aguilera-Navarro, Mário Goto +1 more

In this paper, we discuss the tunneling time of a quantum particle through a rectangular barrier. The reflection and transmission times associated with the wave packets representing the particle are discussed. By using an initial Gaussian momentum distribution, we carry out a comparative analysis of the stationary phases of the incident, reflected, and transmitted wave packets leading to the reflection and transmission times $\ensuremath{\Delta}{t}_{R}$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{t}_{T},$ respectively. In the present treatment of this old and very known problem we take into account the deformations of the reflected and transmitted momentum distributions. These deformations produce a dependence of the reflection and transmission times on the location of the initial wave packet. In a parallel calculation, by numerically monitoring the time evolution of the system, we characterize a reflection and a transmission time. Such times agree with the ones obtained via the stationary phase method.

Physical Review A•Dec 1, 1998•28 citations

Asymmetric scattering by non-Hermitian potentials

A. Ruschhaupt, Tom Dowdall, Miguel Angel Otero Simón +1 more

The scattering of quantum particles by non-Hermitian (generally non-local) potentials in one dimension may result in asymmetric transmission and/or reflection from left and right incidence. After extending the concept of symmetry for non-Hermitian potentials, eight generalized symmetries based on the discrete Klein's four-group (formed by parity, time reversal, their product, and unity) are found. Together with generalized unitarity relations they determine selection rules for the possible and/or forbidden scattering asymmetries. Six basic device types are identified when the scattering coefficients (squared moduli of scattering amplitudes) adopt zero/one values, and transmission and/or reflection are asymmetric. They can pictorically be described as a one-way mirror, a one-way barrier (a Maxwell pressure demon), one-way (transmission or reflection) filters, a mirror with unidirectional transmission, and a transparent, one-way reflector. We design potentials for these devices and also demonstrate that the behavior of the scattering coefficients can be extended to a broad range of incident momenta.

arXiv:1709.07027•Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Jan 2, 2018•20 citations
We study the scattering of a particle by a square barrier potential that has a parabolic hole in between. The barrier is parameterized in such a form that the hole can be partially or completely removed. This can be also chosen to be symmetric or asymmetric with respect to the hole. Some expressions for the phase time are given and the time spent by the particle in the interaction zone of the barrier is calculated. It is shown that the related time delay depends on the symmetry operations that one can do on the potential.
The stationary phase method is often employed for computing tunneling phase times of analytically-continuous gaussian or infinite-bandwidth step pulses which collide with a potential barrier. The indiscriminate utilization of this method without considering the barrier boundary effects leads to some misconceptions in the interpretation of the phase times. After re-examining the above barrier diffusion problem where we notice the wave packet collision necessarily leads to the possibility of multiple reflected and transmitted wave packets, we study the phase times for tunneling/reflecting particles in a framework where an idea of multiple wave packet decomposition is recovered. To partially overcome the analytical incongruities which rise up when tunneling phase time expressions are obtained, we present a theoretical exercise involving a symmetrical collision between two identical wave packets and a one-dimensional squared potential barrier, where the scattered wave packets can be recomposed by summing the amplitudes of simultaneously reflected and transmitted waves.
The reflection of wave packets from a quantum well bounded by rectangular potential barriers, and which has a tunneling transmission resonance, is discussed. Numeric solutions to Schrödinger’s time-dependent equation show that the shape of the probability function ψψ* for a reflected wave packet can be quite different from that of the incident packet. Either a symmetric double hump or an asymmetric shape are possible for the reflected ψψ*, depending on the sharpness of the resonance. These shapes are explained analytically in terms of the reflection coefficient.
A complete one-dimensional scattering of a spinless particle on a time-independent potential barrier is considered. To describe separately transmitted and reflected particles in the corresponding subsets of identical experiments, we introduce the notions of scattering channels for transmission and reflection. We find for both channels the (unitary) scattering matrices and reconstruct, by known out asymptotes (i.e., by the transmitted and reflected wave packets), the corresponding in asymptotes. Unlike the out asymptotes for transmission and reflection, their in asymptotes represent nonorthogonal functions. As is shown, the position distributions of to-be-transmitted and to-be-reflected particles, except their average positions, are unpredictable. At the same time, the momentum distributions of these particles are physically meaningful and can be observed to the full. We show that both the subensembles of particles must start (on the average) from the same spatial point, and the momentum distributions of to-be-scattered and scattered particles must be the same for each scattering channel. Taking into account these properties, we define the (individual) delay times for transmission and reflection for wave packets of an arbitrary width. Besides, to estimate the duration of the scattering event, we derive the expression for a (total) scattering time.
We analyze the behavior of a quantum system described by a one-dimensional asymmetric potential consisting of a step plus a harmonic barrier. We solve the eigenvalue equation by the integral representation method, which allows us to classify the independent solutions as equivalence classes of homotopic paths in the complex plane. We then consider the propagation of a wave packet reflected by the harmonic barrier and obtain an expression for the interaction time as a function of the peak energy. For high energies we recover the classical half-period limit.
In this paper, we discuss the tunneling time of a quantum particle through a rectangular barrier. The reflection and transmission times associated with the wave packets representing the particle are discussed. By using an initial Gaussian momentum distribution, we carry out a comparative analysis of the stationary phases of the incident, reflected, and transmitted wave packets leading to the reflection and transmission times $\ensuremath{\Delta}{t}_{R}$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{t}_{T},$ respectively. In the present treatment of this old and very known problem we take into account the deformations of the reflected and transmitted momentum distributions. These deformations produce a dependence of the reflection and transmission times on the location of the initial wave packet. In a parallel calculation, by numerically monitoring the time evolution of the system, we characterize a reflection and a transmission time. Such times agree with the ones obtained via the stationary phase method.
The scattering of quantum particles by non-Hermitian (generally non-local) potentials in one dimension may result in asymmetric transmission and/or reflection from left and right incidence. After extending the concept of symmetry for non-Hermitian potentials, eight generalized symmetries based on the discrete Klein's four-group (formed by parity, time reversal, their product, and unity) are found. Together with generalized unitarity relations they determine selection rules for the possible and/or forbidden scattering asymmetries. Six basic device types are identified when the scattering coefficients (squared moduli of scattering amplitudes) adopt zero/one values, and transmission and/or reflection are asymmetric. They can pictorically be described as a one-way mirror, a one-way barrier (a Maxwell pressure demon), one-way (transmission or reflection) filters, a mirror with unidirectional transmission, and a transparent, one-way reflector. We design potentials for these devices and also demonstrate that the behavior of the scattering coefficients can be extended to a broad range of incident momenta.