Thomas Ihn

Semiconductor Nanostructures
Fall 2017

Exercise 9 released: 15.11.2017

Topic: Tunneling discussed: 22.11.2017

Problem 1

In 1928, George Gamow provided the first theory of alpha decay, the spontaneous
emission of an alpha particle (two protons and two neutrons) by certain radioactive
nuclei. Since the alpha particle carries a positive charge (2e), it will be electrically
repelled by the leftover nucleus (charge Ze) as soon as it gets far enough away to escape
the nuclear binding force. We picture the potential energy curve for the alpha particle
as a finite square well (representing the attractive nuclear force), extending out to r1
joined to a repulsive Coulombic tail, as sketched in the figure.

Figure 1: Gamow’s model for the potential energy of an alpha particle in a radioactive
nucleus.

1. Calculate the tunneling probability.

2. Calculate the lifetime of the radioactive nucleus.

Hint: In order to calculate the tunneling probability, Gamow used the result of the WKB
(Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin)1 approximation. It follows that the tunneling probability
is:
T ∼
= e−2γ

where Z r2
1 p
γ≡ |p(r)|dr and p(r) ≡ 2m[E − V (r)].
h̄ r1

1
In Holland it’s KWB, in France BWK, and in England it’s JWKB (J for Jeffreys).