pedagogical presentation
pedagogical presentation
1 Introduction
2.1 Formulation 1
Letpus, for the current section, adopt the convention of not absorbing the factors
of k±∞ into r and t. We start by introducing a minor variant of Messiah’s
notation [20]
J+ (x → −∞) → t+ exp(+ik−∞ x), (2.9)
J+ (x → +∞) → exp(+ik+∞ x) + r+ exp(−ik+∞ x), (2.10)
By comparing these two different forms for the asymptotic form of the Jost function
we see that in this situation the ratios of the amplitudes are given by
1 α+ β+
p :p :p = t+ : 1 : r+ . (2.11)
k−∞ k+∞ k+∞
Thus we obtain p
β+ k+∞ β+
r+ = p = . (2.12)
k+∞ α+ α+
We also derive (in this set of conventions)
p s
1 k+∞ k+∞ 1
t+ = p = . (2.13)
k−∞ α+ k−∞ α+
k+∞ k−∞
T+ = |t+ |2 = |t− |2 = T− (2.20)
k−∞ k+∞
and
phase (r+ /t+ ) = π − phase (r− /t− ), (2.22)
2.2 Formulation 2
If we now adopt the (to our minds) more useful convention, by absorbing suit-
able factors of k+∞ and k−∞ into the definitions of r and t, then things simplify
considerably. We restart the calculation by now defining a slightly different set of
reflection and transmission amplitudes r and t via the equations
exp(+ik−∞ x)
J+ (x → −∞) → t+ p , (2.23)
k−∞
exp(+ik+∞ x) exp(−ik+∞ x)
J+ (x → +∞) → p + r+ p , (2.24)
k+∞ k+∞
By comparing these two different forms for the asymptotic form of the Jost function
we see that in this situation the ratios of the amplitudes are given by the much
simpler formulae
1 : α+ : β+ = t+ : 1 : r+ . (2.25)
We now have
β+
r+ = , (2.26)
α+
and
1
t+ = . (2.27)
α+
p
We see that by putting the factors of k±∞ into the asymptotic form of the Jost
functions, where they really belong, the formulae for r and t are suitably simplified.
For completely arbitrary potentials, with no parity restriction (so the potential
is neither even nor odd), a modified Wronskian analysis now yields (in analogy
with that reported by Messiah [20, pages 106-108]):
|t+ |2 = 1 − |r+ |2 ; (2.28)
|t− |2 = 1 − |r− |2 ; (2.29)
t− = t+ ; (2.30)
r+ t+ = −r− t∗− ;
∗
(2.31)
with equivalent relations for α and β. Then
T+ = |t+ |2 = |t− |2 = T− (2.32)
and so the barrier transmission probability is independent of direction. Because
they are independent of any overall scaling by a real number, we also retain the
previous results
phase (t+ ) = phase (t− ), (2.33)
and
phase (r+ /t+ ) = π − phase (r− /t− ), (2.34)
with equivalent relations for α and β. It is this modified set of conventions, because
they have much nicer normalization properties, that we shall prefer for the bulk
of the paper.
88 P. Boonserm and M. Visser
2.3 Formulation 3
The Schrödinger equation also can be analyzed in terms of a different formalism
based on the functions u and v, as defined by Messiah [20], and their complex
conjugates u∗ and v ∗ . Note that the Wronskian of any two such solutions is in-
dependent of x. In particular, it takes on the same value in the two asymptotic
regions. Our approach can be seen as equating these two values; we shall now de-
rive a relation between the coefficients r+ , t+ , r− , t− , or their complex conjugates.
Six such relations can be formed with the four functions u, v, u∗ and v ∗ . From
what we have seen earlier it is clear that they are very basic relations which must
be maintained whatever the form of the potential function V (x). See for instance
reference [20, pages 106–108]. Specifically, we derive (in Messiah-like conventions)
i
W (u, u∗ ) = k+∞ (1 − |r+ |2 ) = k−∞ |t+ |2 ; (2.35)
2
i
W (v, v ∗ ) = k−∞ (1 − |r− |2 ) = k+∞ |t− |2 ; (2.36)
2
i
W (u, v) = k+∞ t− = k−∞ t+ ; (2.37)
2
i
W (u, v ∗ ) = −k+∞ r+ t∗− = k−∞ r−
∗
t+ . (2.38)
2
The equations (2.35) and (2.36) are called the relations of conservation of flux.
They must always be true, and this should be verified in special cases. This name
comes from the following statements regarding the wave function ψ of an unbound
state in the asymptotic region. We let A exp(ikx)+B exp(−ikx) be the expression
of the wave function ψ in one of the asymptotic regions, for −∞ case.
The total flux of particles when passing a given point is the difference be-
tween the flux (~k/m)|A|2 of particles traveling in the positive sense, and the flux
(~k/m)|B|2 of particles traveling in the negative sense. This flux is equal, to within
a constant, to the Wronskian W (ψ, ψ ∗ ) [20]:
~k 2 i ~k
|A| − |B|2 = W (ψ, ψ ∗ ) (2.39)
m 2 m
The equality of the Wronskian W (ψ, ψ ∗ ) at both ends of the interval (−∞, +∞),
implies that the number of particles entering the interaction region per unit time
is equal to the number which leave it. In accordance with this interpretation, one
or the other of equation (2.35) and (2.36) can be written as:
Considering the same interpretation, we now can define the transmission co-
efficient (transmission probability) T as follows:
transmitted flux
T = . (2.41)
incident flux
One dimensional scattering problems. . . 89
We have in particular
k−∞ k+∞
T+ = |t+∞ |2 , T− = |t−∞ |2 . (2.42)
k+∞ k−∞
This result again shows that the absolute values of the two sides of equation (2.37)
are equal, and one again obtains the equality
T− = T+ . (2.43)
phase(t+ ) = phase(t− );
r+ r−
phase = π − phase .
t+ t−
The most interesting point for these relations is the fact that the phases are related
to “retardation” effects in the propagation of the wave packets, with equivalent
relations for α and
p β. As previously, we can re-scale r and t by absorbing appro-
priate factors of k±∞ , and so simplify the discussion as in the previous section.
(We will not repeat the details of the analysis, as it is straightforward.)
3 Bogoliubov transformation
To see why the Bogoliubov transformation is important, and how it relates to
the transmission and reflection amplitudes, let us consider the canonical commu-
tation relation for bosonic creation and annihilation operators
b̂ = u â + v ↠; (3.2)
† ∗ † ∗
b̂ = u â + v â; (3.3)
where the equation (3.3) is the hermitian conjugate of the equation (3.2). This
transformation is a canonical transformation of these operators. It is easy to find
the implied constraints on the constants u and v. For instance, if the transforma-
tion remains canonical, then by expanding the commutator we see
is the condition for which the transformation is canonical. Note that since the
form of this condition is reminiscent of the hyperbolic identity
between cosh and sinh, the constants u and v are usually parameterized as
In contrast, for x > b we similarly derive from equation (4.5) the fact that we can
write the flux as
~
t∗L exp(−ikx) × ik(tL exp(ikx))
J =
2mi
∗
− tL exp(ikx) × −ik(tL exp(−ikx)) ,
~ 2 2
= ik|tL | + ik|tL | ,
2mi
~k 2
= |tL | . (4.13)
m
∂ψ ∗
~ ∗ ∂ψ
J= ψ − ψ , (4.14)
2mi ∂x ∂x
in the position basis and satisfies the quantum mechanical continuity equation
∂ ∂
ρ(x, t) + J(x, t) = 0 , (4.15)
∂t ∂x
where ρ(x, t) is probability density. Since there is no time dependence in the
problem, the conservation law in equation (4.15) implies that J(x) is independent
of x. Hence the flux on the left must be equal to the flux on the right, that is, we
expect that
~k 2 ~k 2
1 − |rL | = |tL | .
m m
1 − |rL |2 = |tL |2 .
therefore
|tL |2 + |rL |2 = 1 , (4.16)
so
1 1 1
1 − rL∗ r = 1 − |r |2 = |t |2 . (4.17)
L L L
Finally we see that the transfer matrix can be explicitly represented in the form
∗
1/t∗L ∗ ∗
1 tL −tL rL −rL /tL
M= = . (4.18)
|tL |2 −t∗L rL t∗L −rL /tL 1/tL
exp(−ikx), (4.19)
One dimensional scattering problems. . . 93
which then hits the potential, is partially reflected and partially transmitted. In
this case, on the right of the potential we have
where rR is the right-moving reflection amplitude and on the left of the potential
Again, since the Schrödinger equation is real, the complex conjugate of any solution
is also a solution. Therefore a related interesting solution which on the left can be
cast in the form
ψL (x) = t∗R exp(+ikx) , (4.23)
must on the right have the form
∗
ψR (x) = exp(+ikx) + rR exp(−ikx) , (4.24)
whence
t∗R
1
∗ =M . (4.25)
rR 0
But now these two matrix equations imply
1/t∗R rR /tR
M= ∗ . (4.26)
rR /t∗R 1/tR
Combining the information from left moving and right moving cases we have first
that
tL = tR . (4.27)
So we again derive the equality of the transmission amplitudes.
implying (in the same manner as the previous argument) that the transmission and
reflection coefficients are independent on whether or not the particle is incident
from the left or the right — and we have very carefully not made any assumption
here about any symmetry for the potential V (x) itself. We conclude
1/t∗ −rL ∗ ∗
1/t∗ rR /t
/t
M= = ∗ . (4.31)
−rL /t 1/t rR /t∗ 1/t
Note the key step in this general derivation: In any region where the potential
is zero we simply need to solve
~2 d2
− ψ(x) = E ψ(x), (4.32)
2m dx2
for which the two independent solutions are
√
2mE
exp(±ikx); k= , (4.33)
~
or more explicitly √
2mE
exp ± i x . (4.34)
~
To the left of the potential we have
ψL (x) = a exp(ikx) + b exp(−ikx) , (4.35)
while to the right of the potential we have
ψR (x) = c exp(ikx) + d exp(−ikx). (4.36)
Even without knowing anything more about the potential V (x), the linearity of
the Schrödinger ODE guarantees that there will be some 2 × 2 transfer matrix M
such that
c a
=M . (4.37)
d b
This transfer matrix relates the situation to the left of the potential with the
wave-function to the right of the potential. We could now use this formalism, for
instance, to think about the propagation of electrons down a wire (approximately
one-dimensional) with V (x) used to describe various barriers placed in the path
of the electron. Similar matrices also occur in optics, where they are referred to
as “Jones matrices”.
The components of the transfer matrix M will be some complicated nonlinear
function of the potential V (x), but by linearity of the Schrödinger ODE these
matrix components must be independent of the parameters a, b, c, and d. In some
particularly simple situations we may be able to calculate the matrix M explicitly,
but in general it can only be approximated or bounded [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. From
the above discussion we now understand, from several different points of view, the
basic concepts of transmission and reflection amplitudes. The probability that a
given incident particle is reflected is called the “reflection coefficient”, R = |r|2 .
While the probability that it is transmitted is called the “transmission coefficient”,
T = |t|2 .
One dimensional scattering problems. . . 95
5 Discussion
In this article, we have presented basic aspects of scattering theory in one
dimension in (we hope) a pedagogically clear manner. For a one-dimensional
model, only one of the three coordinates of 3-dimensional physical space is explic-
itly involved. Specifically, we considered potentials of compact support, when the
potential V (x) is mathematically zero outside of a finite interval. We have just
seen an important connection between reflection and transmission amplitudes, and
how to derive this relation directly by using scattering theory.
We introduced the probability current to express the reflection and transmis-
sion coefficients. The probability current is based on the axiom that the intensity of
a beam is the product of the speed of its particles and their linear number density.
It is then a mathematical theorem that this probability current is conserved. We
then introduced important ideas of reflection and transmission of waves, and have
seen that in principle they are completely specified by the potential function V (x).
For instance, the linearity of the Schrödinger ODE guarantees that there will be
some 2 × 2 transfer matrix. Moreover, this transfer matrix can be represented
by investigating quantum mechanical tunneling by extracting the transmission co-
efficient from the solution to the one-dimensional, time-independent Schrödinger
equation. This general formalism has served as a backdrop for our further inves-
tigations reported in references [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
References
[1] M. Visser, “Some general bounds for 1-D scattering”, Phys. Rev. A 59 (1999)
427–438 [arXiv: quant-ph/9901030].
[3] P. Boonserm and M. Visser, “Bounding the greybody factors for Schwarz-
schild black holes”, Phys. Rev. D 78, 101502 (2008) [Rapid Communications],
[arXiv:gr-qc/0806.2209].
Petarpa Boonserm
Department of Mathematics,
Faculty of Science,
Chulalongkorn University,
Phayathai Rd., Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, THAILAND.
e-mail : [email protected]
Matt Visser
School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Operations Research,
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
e-mail :[email protected]