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Wigner distribution behaviour in tunnelling through multi-barrier potentials

Marína Glasnáková

Published Jan 1, 2026• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Quantum tunnelling is a macroscopically measurable phenomenon that distinguishes quantum from classical physics. We study it through the Wigner quasiprobability dis- tribution and its negativity, which serves as a quantifier of non-classicality of quantum states. We model the tunnelling particle as a Gaussian wave packet evolving in one- dimensional single or double-barrier potentials. We find that the negativity is strongly enhanced at energies near the potential maxima, which correspond to classical unstable equilibrium states. For the double-barrier potentials, the negativity is further accentuated and long-lived due to the presence of quasibound resonant states temporarily trapped in- side the central well. This gives us insight that is invisible in the plane-wave limiting analysis.

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Quantum tunnelling is a macroscopically measurable phenomenon that distinguishes quantum from classical physics. We study it through the Wigner quasiprobability dis- tribution and its negativity, which serves as a quantifier of non-classicality of quantum states. We model the tunnelling particle as a Gaussian wave packet evolving in one- dimensional single or double-barrier potentials. We find that the negativity is strongly enhanced at energies near the potential maxima, which correspond to classical unstable equilibrium states. For the double-barrier potentials, the negativity is further accentuated and long-lived due to the presence of quasibound resonant states temporarily trapped in- side the central well. This gives us insight that is invisible in the plane-wave limiting analysis.
Abstract Quantum tunneling through potential barriers plays a central role in diverse physical phenomena ranging from nuclear fusion and radioactive decay to semiconductor devices and superconducting technologies. In this work, we calculate tunneling probabilities and wave functions for an arbitrary number of potential barriers with diverse functional forms, including square, Gaussian, parabolic, and Lorentzian profiles, using a general numerical framework. The numerical results are first validated by comparison with exact analytical solutions for double, triple and quadruple-square barrier systems, demonstrating excellent agreement. The results reveal that for a system with N barriers, a single resonance peak splits into ( N − 1 ) distinct peaks, which eventually merge into an energy band as N becomes large, in a manner fully consistent with the existing literature. A key additional result is the incorporation of absorption effects through an imaginary component of the potential, providing a realistic description of particle trapping and leading to a progressive suppression of resonant transmission. For sufficiently strong absorption, the resonant structures are completely washed out. Further, if the barriers become non-uniform or disordered, the regular resonance pattern is also observed to be completely washed out. These findings demonstrate the broad applicability of the approach to complex potential landscapes and offer insights relevant to both fundamental quantum mechanics and the design of next-generation quantum devices.
Quantum tunneling effects of Gaussian wave packet in one- and two-dimensional double well potentials are investigated using quantum Liouville equation for time evolution of Wigner distribution in phase space. It is shown that a trajectory-based solution of this problem can be constructed by the entangled trajectory ensemble simulating the evolving quantum state. Quantum effects arise in this approach as a breakdown of the statistical independence of the trajectory ensemble. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Localized wave-packet tunneling through a one-dimensional potential barrier is investigated with respect to the distribution of tunneling times. Specifically, we construct a quantity--- termed the ``tunneled flux''---which has properties of a tunneling-time probability distribution. The tunneled flux is determined completely in terms of the time evolution of an initially localized wave packet. The tunneled flux and the corresponding tunneling-time distributions are investigated analytically via a semiclassical approximation. Additionally, numerical studies are performed with both the semiclassical and quantal versions of the tunneled flux. The semiclassical calculation qualitatively reproduces numerical tunneled fluxes, converging quantitatively as \ensuremath{\Elzxh}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0. It also provides a wealth of insight into the nature of tunneling processes. Our principle conclusions are as follows: (i) There is an essential disparity between the time- and energy-domain pictures of wave-packet tunneling; (ii) the tunneling-time distribution can be modeled as an exponential of a skewed Lorentzian function, with a width governed primarily by the phase-space asymmetry of the initial wave packet; and (iii) tunneling is faster than simple classical motion from one side of the barrier to another, even assuming an instantaneous transit between the turning points. Effectively, the barrier acts as a filter for the high-momentum components of the initial wave packet.
Asymptotic time evolution of a wave packet describing a non-relativistic particle incident on a potential barrier is considered, using the Wigner phase-space distribution. The distortion of the trasmitted wave packet is determined by two time-like parameters, given by the energy derivative of the complex transmission amplitude. The result is consistent with various definitions of the tunneling time (e.g. the Büttiker-Landauer time, the complex time and Wigner's phase time). The speed-up effect and the negative dispersion are discussed, and new experimental implications are considered.
Abstract. Quantum noise with exchange and tunnelling is studied within time-dependent wave packets. A novel expression for the quantum noise of two identical particles injected simultaneously from opposite sides of a tunnelling barrier is presented. Such quantum noise expression provides a physical (non-spurious) explanation for the experimental detection of two electrons at the same side under static potentials. Numerical simulations of the two-particle scattering probabilities in a double barrier potential with an oscillatory well are performed. The dependence of the quantum noise on the electron energy and oscillatory frequency is analysed. The peculiar behaviour of the dependence of the quantum noise on such parameters is proposed as a test about the soundness of this novel quantum noise expression, for either static or oscillatory potentials.
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.