The comprehension of the tunnel effect, the passage of matter waves and particles across a high potential barrier, was the most astounding of all discoveries in quantum mechanics. Research on tunnelling in semiconductors and superconductors, as well as the development of scanning tunnelling microscopy, garnered five Nobel prizes in physics. In this study, the resonant tunnelling effect of electron tunnelling through a one-dimensional double-potential barrier was found and verified by solving the time-independent Schrödinger equation and calculating the transmittance rate of the electron tunnelling through the two potential barriers by using the transmission matrix technique performed by MATLAB. According to the analysis, the transmittance rate was one under certain specific conditions (under some specific incident energy values or some specific distance between two potential barriers), which was called as resonant tunnelling. However, in this study, square potential wells were analyzed, which can be considered merely as ideal models in real life, and therefore all results are idealized. For further investigations, researchers can use more realistic parameters to set up potential wells and analyze real-life problems.
The comprehension of the tunnel effect, the passage of matter waves and particles across a high potential barrier, was the most astounding of all discoveries in quantum mechanics. Research on tunnelling in semiconductors and superconductors, as well as the development of scanning tunnelling microscopy, garnered five Nobel prizes in physics. In this study, the resonant tunnelling effect of electron tunnelling through a one-dimensional double-potential barrier was found and verified by solving the time-independent Schrödinger equation and calculating the transmittance rate of the electron tunnelling through the two potential barriers by using the transmission matrix technique performed by MATLAB. According to the analysis, the transmittance rate was one under certain specific conditions (under some specific incident energy values or some specific distance between two potential barriers), which was called as resonant tunnelling. However, in this study, square potential wells were analyzed, which can be considered merely as ideal models in real life, and therefore all results are idealized. For further investigations, researchers can use more realistic parameters to set up potential wells and analyze real-life problems.
Tunneling is a common phenomenon in microphysics, and resonant tunneling is a tunneling phenomenon under special conditions. Double barrier tunneling is an important quantum mechanical phenomenon, which has important application and research value in condensed matter physics, semiconductor devices, quantum mechanics, and nanotechnology. This study takes the double barrier as an example to observe electron tunneling and find out the influence of different parameters on the tunneling effect. In this study, the wave function is calculated by using the method of Schrodinger equation and transpose matrix, and the image is drawn by Python and numerical operation. In this study, it is found that the barrier width is inversely proportional to the transmittance, and the transmittance and reflectance will change periodically with the distance between the two barriers, and the electrons will reach full transmission at a certain incident energy value. Studying the characteristics and mechanisms of double barrier tunneling helps develop new quantum technologies and devices and promotes technological innovation in related fields.
The quantum tunneling effect, which is based on the quantum theory that microscopic particles behave in waves through barriers higher than their own energy, has important applications in practical technology. Microscopes such as scanning tunneling microscopes, which use quantum tunneling to generate tunnel currents, have a resolution of up to the desired level. Moreover, it can be used in biology to observe molecular structures such as macromolecules and biofilms. In this paper, the transmission coefficients of one-dimensional asymmetric unilateral barrier and asymmetric two-sided barrier under general arbitrary boundary conditions are strictly derived using the conventional method of solving the steady state Schrodinger equation by quantum mechanics and matrix. Meanwhile, the transmission coefficients of symmetric two-sided barrier are numerically studied. From the above series of methods, it is deduced that the basic working principle of resonant tunneling diode and other semiconductor electronic devices is exactly the tunnel effect. Thus, it is found that quantum tunneling effect plays an important role in life.
The working principle of a large number of modern scientific equipment has been applied to the quantum tunneling effect. Although the explanations for the relevant principles of this effect are clarified, the calculation process is very complex and difficult to understand. Previous studies combine specific applications without theoretical model references. This study adopts the method of using the time-independent Schrodinger equation to solve the wave function, which is more convenient to obtain the expression of transmission probability. Then, one discusses the relationship between transmission probability and potential barrier width, potential barrier spacing, and incident particle energy. The experimental results show that the transmission probability decreases exponentially from 1 to 0 as the potential barrier width gradually increases. As the potential barrier width increases, the transmission probability exhibits a clear periodic oscillation relationship, the oscillation period remains unchanged, and this paper derives the relationship between the oscillation period and the potential barrier width. As the incident energy of particles gradually increases, the transmission probability exhibits periodic changes, and the minimum value of transmission probability increases with the periodic changes. Based on the analysis, the smaller the potential barrier width, the greater the incident energy, and the more likely quantum tunneling occurs.
Proton transfer plays a key role in the applications of advanced energy materials as well as in the functionalities of biological systems. In this work, based on the transfer matrix method, we study the quantum effects of proton transfer in a series of one-dimensional (1D) model potentials and numerically calculate the quantum probability of transferring across single and double barriers (wells). In the case of single barriers, when the incident energies of protons are above the barrier height, the quantum oscillations in the transmission coefficients depend on the geometric shape of the barriers. It is found that atomic resonant tunneling (ART) not only presents in the rectangular single well and rectangular double barriers as expected, but also exists in the other types of potential wells and double barriers. For hetero-structured double barriers, there is no resonant tunneling in the classical forbidden zone, i.e., in the case when the incident energy (E i) is lower than the barrier height (E b). Furthermore, we have provided generalized analysis on the characteristics of transmission coefficients of hetero-structured rectangular double barriers.
At the turn of the twentieth century, the establishment of quantum theory propelled rapid advancements, particularly in the understanding of quantum tunnelling—a fundamental phenomenon in quantum mechanics crucial for various physical processes. The quantum phenomenon of particle passes through potential barriers is of great importance. In classical physics, when the energy of a particle is less than the height of a double barrier structure, it is impossible for it to pass through. However, quantum mechanics allows a particle to penetrate the barrier and emerge on the other side. This paper explores the quantum tunnelling effect, focusing on the single potential barrier model in one dimension and subsequently extending to the double potential barrier model. The Schrödinger equation provides the foundational framework for elucidating the motion of microscopic particles, emphasizing wave-particle duality inherent in quantum mechanics. The analysis of the single potential barrier model involves solving the Schrödinger equation in different regions, determining wave functions and coefficients through boundary conditions. The transmission coefficient is derived, representing the probability of a particle passing through a barrier. In the case of a “thick” barrier, an approximate form for transmission coefficient is provided, demonstrating the exponential decrease in transmission probability with increasing barrier thickness.
Quantum tunnelling is a phenomenon in which a particle is able to traverse a potential barrier, even if said particle possesses less energy than the barrier. This process is highly important in many modern fields of physics, such as nuclear physics and semiconductor technology. In this thesis, this phenomenon was presented through analytical study, as well as the derivation of the transmission coefficient in one and three dimensions. Of even greater interest is the phenomenon of resonant tunnelling, where particles tunnel through two or more potential barriers, leading to the formation of quantum wells and quasi-bound energy levels that result in heightened transmission probabilities at certain energies. The transfer matrix method was used in order to find an expression for the resonant tunnelling transmission coefficient in double barrier systems. In addition, a programme was developed in Python in order to investigate resonant tunnelling in different barrier systems. The programme demonstrates how the probability of transmission fluctuates with the energy of the incoming particle, as well as how it is influenced by changes to the framework of the barrier system. Furthermore, effects caused by the inclusion of asymmetry into the system are studied. Finally, the process of spin-dependent tunnelling and the related Rashba spin-orbit coupling were discussed as an extension of the resonant tunnelling phenomenon.