Paper 1, Section II, B

Quantum Mechanics | Part IB, 2016

(a) A particle of mass mm in one space dimension is confined to move in a potential V(x)V(x) given by

V(x)={0 for 0<x<a for x<0 or x>aV(x)= \begin{cases}0 & \text { for } 0<x<a \\ \infty & \text { for } x<0 \text { or } x>a\end{cases}

The normalised initial wavefunction of the particle at time t=0t=0 is

ψ0(x)=45asin3(πxa)\psi_{0}(x)=\frac{4}{\sqrt{5 a}} \sin ^{3}\left(\frac{\pi x}{a}\right)

(i) Find the expectation value of the energy at time t=0t=0.

(ii) Find the wavefunction of the particle at time t=1t=1.

[Hint: It may be useful to recall the identity sin3θ=3sinθ4sin3θ\sin 3 \theta=3 \sin \theta-4 \sin ^{3} \theta.]

(b) The right hand wall of the potential is lowered to a finite constant value U0>0U_{0}>0 giving the new potential:

U(x)={0 for 0<x<a for x<0U0 for x>aU(x)= \begin{cases}0 & \text { for } 0<x<a \\ \infty & \text { for } x<0 \\ U_{0} & \text { for } x>a\end{cases}

This potential is set up in the laboratory but the value of U0U_{0} is unknown. The stationary states of the potential are investigated and it is found that there exists exactly one bound state. Show that the value of U0U_{0} must satisfy

π228ma2<U0<9π228ma2\frac{\pi^{2} \hbar^{2}}{8 m a^{2}}<U_{0}<\frac{9 \pi^{2} \hbar^{2}}{8 m a^{2}}

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