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If we have a one dimensional system where the potential

$$V~=~\begin{cases}\infty & |x|\geq d, \\ a\delta(x) &|x|<d, \end{cases}$$

where $a,d >0$ are positive constants, what then is the corresponding classical case -- the approximate classical case when the quantum number is large/energy is high?

Qmechanic
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Sys
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2 Answers2

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Firstly, it's easy to start off with just the Dirac delta potential and see what that does. Wiki has a nice solution for the Delta fuction potential, and I am lifting off parts of it here.

Consider a potential $V(x) = a\delta (x)$ and consider a scattering like configuration, where a plane wave $e^{ikx}$ is incident from the left.

$$ \psi(x)=\begin{cases}e^{ikx}+re^{-ikx} & x<0 \\ te^{ikx} & x> 0\end{cases} $$

By matching the boundary conditions, like on the wiki page, you get $$ t = 1+r\\ (1-\alpha)t = 1-r $$

where $$ \alpha = \frac{ 2ma}{ik\hbar^2} $$ characterizes the effect of the delta potential. Solving for $r$ and $t$, $$ t = \frac{1}{1-\alpha/2}\\ r=-\frac{\alpha/2}{1-\alpha/2} $$

Now, it is easy to see that for high incident $k$, the only effect of the dirac delta potential is to write a phase discontinuity on the wavefuction. This is because, as $k$ increases, the transmission $|t|^2=1/(1+|\alpha|^2/4)$ approaches 1, but the transmitted wavefunction gets an extra phase given by $$ \text{Arg}(t) = -\tan^{-1}(|\alpha|/2) $$

Getting back to the problem at hand, for a particle in a box (without the delta function), the allowed $k$ vectors are given by forcing the wavefunction to be zero at the walls at $x=-d$ and $x=d$, which gives us the condition

$$ k_n=\frac{\pi n}{2d} $$

If now, we add a delta potential, then for high values of $n$ (or $k$), all the delta function will do is introduce a phase discontinuity at the origin, and consequently what you should expect is that the boundary condition is matched not for $k_n$, but something slightly off $k_n+\delta k_n$, where $\delta k_n$ is a small correction due to the delta function potential. For high values of $n$, this correction would drop, as the phase discontinuity decreases, and for classical like states (very large $n$) you expect to recover 1D box states, as mentioned by John Rennie.

Spot
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Here we derive the bound state spectrum from scratch. Not surprisingly, the conclusion is that the Dirac delta potential doesn't matter in the semi-classical continuum limit, in accordance with Spot's answer.

The time-independent Schrödinger equation reads for positive $E>0$,

$$ -\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\psi^{\prime\prime}(x) ~=~ (E-V(x))\psi(x), \qquad V(x)~:=~V_0\delta(x)+\infty \theta(|x|-d), \qquad V_0~>~0, $$

with the convention that $0\cdot \infty=0$. Define

$$v(x) ~:=~ \frac{2mV(x)}{\hbar^2}, \qquad e~:=~\frac{2mE}{\hbar^2}~>~0 \qquad k~:=~\sqrt{e}~>~0\qquad v_0 ~:=~ \frac{2mV_0}{\hbar^2}. $$

Then

$$ \psi^{\prime\prime}(x) ~=~ (v(x)-e)\psi(x). $$

We know that the wave function $\psi$ is continuous with boundary conditions

$$\psi(x)~=0 \qquad {\rm for}\qquad |x|\geq d.$$

Also the derivative $\psi^{\prime}$ is continuous for $0<|x|<d$, and possibly has a kink at $x=0$,

$${\lim}_{\epsilon\to 0^+}[\psi^{\prime}(x)]^{x=\epsilon}_{x=-\epsilon} ~=~v_0\psi(x=0). $$

We get $$\psi_{\pm}(x)~=~A_{\pm}\sin(k(x\mp d))\qquad {\rm for } \qquad 0 \leq \pm x \leq d.$$

  1. $\underline{\text{Case} ~\psi(x=0)=0}$. Then $$n~:=~\frac{kd}{\pi}~\in~ \mathbb{N}.$$ We get an odd wave function $$\psi_n(x)~\propto~\sin(kx).$$ In particularly, the odd wave functions do not feel the presence of the Dirac delta potential.

  2. $\underline{\text{Case} ~\psi(x=0)\neq 0}$. Then continuity at $x=0$ implies that the wave function is even $A_{+}+A_{-}=0$. Phrased equivalently, $$\psi(x)~=~A\sin(k(|x|-d)).$$ The kink condition at $x=0$ becomes $$ v_0A\sin(-kd)~=~2kA \cos(kd), $$ or equivalently, $$ v_0\tan(kd)~=~-2k.$$ In the semiclassical continuum limit $$k \gg \frac{1}{d}, \qquad k \gg v_0,$$ this becomes $$\frac{kd}{\pi}+\frac{1}{2}~\in ~\mathbb{Z}, $$ i.e., in the semiclassical continuum limit the even wave functions do not feel the presence of the Dirac delta potential as well.

Qmechanic
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