Problem Set 4 solutions CHEM 345 Chapter 4

Due: In class, Friday, Oct. 7, 2016 Late problem sets will not be accepted.

1. We can make a rough estimate of the transmission probability of a particle through a barrier
using:
2m(V0 E )
2 a
2k2 a
T e =e
(a) An electron with a kinetic energy of 12.0 eV is incident upon a potential energy barrier of 20.0
eV and thickness 1.00 nm. By what factor would the electrons probability of tunneling through
the barrier increase assuming that the electron absorbs all the energy of a photon with
wavelength 546 nm?

2m(V0 E )
2 a
2k2 a
T e =e
2 2(9.1094 10 31 kg)(20 12)eV (1.602 10 19 J /eV )
k2 = =1.45 1010 m 1
6.626 10 34 Js
after adsorbing the photon energy
hc 1240 eV nm
E= = = 2.27eV
546 nm
2 2(9.1094 10 31 kg)(20 14.27)eV (1.602 10 19 J /eV )
k2' = =1.231010 m 1
6.626 10 34 Js

so the increase in the transmission probability:

e -2k 2 a '

e -2k '2 a [
= e -2a(k 2 k 2 ) = exp (2 10 9 m)(0.231010 m 1 = 86 ]
(b) Suppose a prisoner tries to break out of jail by quantum tunneling through repeatedly running into
the cell wall which has a thickness of 0.5 m. If this person weighs 60 kg and is hitting the wall each time
with a velocity of 1 ms-1, then what is the probability of quantum tunneling? Assume that the energy for
the wall to break, that is the potential energy barrier height, is 40 Nm. You can leave the answer in
exponential form.

2m(V0 E )
2 a
2k2 a
T e =e
1
2 2(60kg)40 (60kg)(1m / s) 2
2
k2 = 34
0.5m = 4.7310 35 m 1
6.626 10 Js
35
T = e 1.64 10

This prisoner better try classical tunneling.

(c) For quantum tunneling to have any chance of occurring, k2a cannot be too large in magnitude. Briefly
discuss under what conditions this could happen.
The variables determining the size of k2a are the mass and the kinetic energy of the particle along with
the barrier thickness and height. Because of the size of Planck's constant, quantum tunneling is only
possible for very small masses combined with barrier widths in the nanometer regime.
 2. Quantum mechanical tunneling is not just the basis for STM but also for electronic devices like
quantum well lasers and resonant tunneling diodes. Your flash memory devices like USB keys use
quantum tunneling to erase data. As miniaturization of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors
(MOSFET) continues, unwanted electron tunneling has become a problem. Electronic barriers that were
once thick enough to block current are now as thin as 1 nanometer.
An electron having a total energy of E = 4.5 eV approaches a 0.50 nm thick metal oxide film acting as a
potential energy barrier with V0 = 5 eV. Calculate the change in the transmission probability if the
thickness of the barrier is increased to 0.8 nm and then to 1.5 nm.
2(9.1094 10 31 kg)(0.5 10 9 m) 2 (5eV )(1.602 10 19 J / eV )
0 = 2ma 2V0 / 2 = = 6.56
(1.0546 10 34 J s) 2
2(9.1094 10 31 kg)(0.8 10 9 m) 2 (5eV )(1.602 10 19 J / eV )
0 = 2ma 2V0 / 2 = = 83
(1.0546 10 34 J s) 2
2(9.1094 10 31 kg)(1.5 10 9 m) 2 (5eV )(1.602 10 19 J / eV )
0 = 2ma 2V0 / 2 = = 295
(1.0546 10 34 J s) 2
E 4.5
r= = = 0.9
V0 5
2
E 1 1 1
T= = = =
A sinh 2
[ 1/ 2
0 (1 r)
1/ 2
] 2
[
sinh (6.56) 1/ 2
(1 0.9) 1/ 2
] sinh 2 [0.809]
1+ 1+ 1+
4r(1 r) 4(0.9)(1 0.9) 0.36
1 1
= 2
= 2
= 0.31
{e 0.809
e 0.809 / 2 } {2.245 0.445 / 2}
1+ 1+
0.36 0.36
2
E 1 1 1
T= = = =
A sinh 2
[ 1/ 2
0 (1 r)
1/ 2
] 2
[
sinh (83) 1/ 2
(1 0.9) 1/ 2
] sinh 2 [2.9]
1+ 1+ 1+
4r(1 r) 4(0.9)(1 0.9) 0.36
1 1
= 2
= 2
= 0.0043
{e 2.9
e 2.9
/2 } {18.34 0.055 / 2}
1+ 1+
0.36 0.36
2
E 1 1 1
T= = = =
A sinh 2
[ 1/ 2
0 (1 r)
1/ 2
] 2
[
sinh (295) 1/ 2
(1 0.9)1/ 2
] sinh 2 [5.44 ]
1+ 1+ 1+
4r(1 r) 4(0.9)(1 0.9) 0.36
1 1
= 2
= 2
= 2.72 10 5
{e 5.44
e 5.44
/2 } {230 0.0043/ 2}
1+ 1+
0.36 0.36

This represents a reduction by a factor of ~104 , demonstrating the sensitivity to the barrier thickness.

 3. For a finite depth well, the wave function decays according to (x) = Aexp 2m(V0 E) / 2 x [ ]
which can be used to estimate the sensitivity of STM. (See the lecture notes). You are reviewing a grant
proposal that proposes that a proton tunneling microscope would be as effective as the electron tunneling
microscope. For a 0.2 nm barrier width, by what factor does the tunneling current change if protons are
used rather than electrons? Should this proposal be funded?

Calculate the ratio of the tunneling currents:

# 2m p (V0 E) &
exp %2 a(
I( proton) %$ 2 (' # 2(V0 E) &
I(electron)
=
# 2m e (V0 E) &
= exp %2
$ 2
a m p m e (
'
( )
exp %2 a(
$ 2
'
using values from the lecture notes :
+ 2(4.5eV)(1.602 10 19 J /eV /
= exp,
- 2 34
(1.055 10 J s) 2 (
1.67 10 27 kg 9.11 10 31 kg ) -
0
- 10 -
. (2.0 10 m) 1
= 1.2 10 79

This proposal should definitely not be funded!

4. Why is there a bump (an oscillation) in the plot of the

transmission coefficient? You may need to do some research
to find the answer.

In tunneling a particle has a non-zero probability to appear on

the other side of a potential barrier that it does not classically
have the energy to go over. Conversely a quantum particle has
a non-zero probability to be reflected at any boundary
regardless of its energy. A particle possessing enough energy to
surmount a potential barrier can still be reflected.
So just as there is a transmission probability for particles with kinetic energies < Vo , there is also a
probability of particles with energies >Vo being reflected.
The transmission coefficient has certain values where it becomes equal unity called resonances that can
be understood as follows: The wave-particle on top of the barrier is partially reflected at the border of
the barrier. If it is reflected twice it can positively interfere with itself. The particle is caught into a state
with a finite lifetime, where it remains for a while before it is transmitted again. Because it pauses on
the top of the barrier the probability density there is enhanced. At the resonance the particles are not
reflected at all by the barrier, but every particle is transmitted. These occur at
a
k2a = 2m(E V0 = n

where n is an integer and a is the barrier width. Here the interference eliminates the reflected
component. There are now devices based on "resonant tunneling".

Do the following problems from McQuarrie which do not have to be turned in but may be on the quiz:
Chapter 4: 3, 4, 8, 14, 18, 54
After completing, see "Problems and Solutions to accompany Donald A. McQuarrie's Quantum Chemistry"
by H. O. Leung and M. D. Marshall (available in the McGill Bookstore).