# On the problem of an electron scattering in an arbitrary one-dimensional potential field

## Abstract

Recurrent representations for an electron transmission and reflection amplitudes for a one-dimensional chain are obtained. The linear differential equations for scattering amplitudes of an arbitrary potential are found.

In this work the electron scattering problem is considered, when the potential energy has the form .

$$V(x)=\underset{n=1}{\overset{N}{}}V_n(xx_n)$$
(1)   
Here $`V(xx_n)`$ is an individual potential, which has located near the $`x_n`$point. It is suggested, that individual potentials $`V(xx_n)`$ do not have general points.

There have been many studies to investigate electronic properties of one-dimensional quaziperiodical and disordered systems. It is well known, that the problem of determination of transmission amplitude (TA) and reflection amplitude (RA) in the field of (1) type is reduced to the problem of $`N`$ matrixes product calculation ;

$$\left(\begin{array}{c}T_N\\ 0\end{array}\right)=\underset{N}{\overset{n=1}{}}\left(\begin{array}{cc}1/t_n^{}& r_n^{}/t_n^{}\\ r_n/t_n& 1/t_n\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{c}1\\ R_N\end{array}\right)$$
(2)   
where $`T_N`$, $`R_N`$are TA and RA of potential $`V(x)`$, $`t_n`$ and $`r_n`$are TA and RA of the individual potential $`V(xx_n)`$ of the system (1).

The problem of calculation of the $`N`$ two-order matrixes product (2), in general, is equivalent to the problem of solution of some linear equations . So, the problem is represented as

$$D_N=r_N/t_NP_{N1}+1/t_ND_{N1}N1$$
(3)   
$$P_N=r_N^{}/t_N^{}D_{N1}+1/t_N^{}P_{N1}.N1$$
(4)   
Here $`D_N=1/T_N`$, $`P_N=R_N^{}/T_N^{}`$ and $`D_{Nn}=1/T_{Nn}`$, $`P_{Nn}=R_{Nn}^{}/T_{Nn}^{}`$, where $`T_{Nn}`$ and $`R_{Nn}`$are TA and RA of the first potentials of the field (1). Note, that in (3, 4) $`N`$ is a variable.

Let us now introduce (3, 4) in more confortable form. Excluding $`P_{N1}`$ from the first equation and $`D_{N1}`$ from the second one, we will get two equations for $`D_N`$ and $`P_N`$ ;

$$D_N=A_ND_{N1}B_ND_{N2}N2$$
(5)   
$$P_N=A_N^{}P_{N1}B_N^{}P_{N2},N2$$
(6)   
where $`A_N=1/t_N+B_N/t_{N1}^{}`$ and $`B_N=r_Nt_{N1}/r_{N1}t_N`$.

So the problem of determination of $`T_N`$and $`R_N`$ is reduced to the problem of solution of the equations (5, 6). In order to have the simple solution of (5, 6), it is necessary to give initial conditions for equations (5) and (6). They are

$$D_1=t_1^1,D_0=1,P_1=r_1^{}/t_1^{},P_0=0.$$
(7)   
Note, that representations (5, 6) take place for arbitrary potentials of the type (1). So, if we take $`t_N=1+i\alpha _N/2k`$ and $`r_N=i(\alpha _N/2k)\mathrm{exp}2ikx_N`$, then (5) will coincide with the result of , received by the ”determinant” method for $`\delta `$\- potentials. In a case of layered system from homogeneous mediums, (5, 6) yields to the result of .

It is interesting to apply the obtained result (5, 6) to a simple case, when potentials $`V(xx_n)`$ are located periodically and have the same form. Then $`t_n`$and $`r_n`$ $`\left(n=1,2,\mathrm{},N\right)`$ can be represented as $`t_n=t_1`$ and $`r_n=r_1\mathrm{exp}2ik(x_nx_1)`$ . In this case, according to (5, 6), it is clear that coefficients $`A_N`$ and B<sub>N</sub>become independent from $`N`$ and the equations (5, 6) are easily solved .

Taking into account conditions (7) and denoting the systems period by $`a`$, for $`D_N`$ and $`P_N`$ the following expressions are obtained

$$D_N=\mathrm{exp}iNka\left\{\mathrm{cos}N\beta +iIm(t_1^1\mathrm{exp}(ika))\mathrm{sin}N\beta /\mathrm{sin}\beta \right\},$$
(8)   
$$P_N=r_1^{}/t_1^{}\mathrm{exp}i(N1)ka\mathrm{sin}N\beta /\mathrm{sin}\beta .$$

Here $`k^2=E(\mathrm{}=2m_0=1)`$ is the electron energy. The electron energy spectrum is given by $`\mathrm{cos}\beta =Re(t_1^1\mathrm{exp}(ika))`$ , which was obtained in .

Let us now considered one important form of the potential $`V(x)`$ (1), when $`V(xx_n)`$ the are rectangular potentials with arbitrary width $`2d_n`$ and magnitudes of potentials $`V_n`$. Then $`t_n`$and $`r_n`$ are given by well-known formulas ;

$$t_n^1=\mathrm{exp}i2kd_n\left\{\mathrm{cos}2kd_ni\frac{k_n^2+k^2}{2k_nk}\mathrm{sin}2kd_n\right\},$$
(9)   
$$r_n/t_n=i\mathrm{exp}i2kx_n\frac{k_n^2k^2}{2k_nk}\mathrm{sin}2kd_n.$$
(10)   
where $`k_n=\sqrt{EV_n}`$, $`x_n`$ is a coordinate of the middle point of the potential.

This model (9, 10) can be used to obtain differential equations for $`D(x)=1/T(x)`$ and $`P(x)=R^{}(x)/T^{}(x)`$ quantities, where $`T(x)`$ and $`R(x)`$ are TA and RA of the potential

$$V(x)=U(y)\theta (xy)$$
(11)   
where $`U(y)`$ is an arbitrary function limited within some interval $`ayb`$ and is equal to zero outside of that.

Indeed, approximating $`V(x)`$ by rectangular potentials, it is possible with the help of representation (5, 6) and corresponding limit transition to get the sought equation. If we denote in (5, 6) $`D_{N1}=D(x)`$, then $`D_N=D(x+\mathrm{\Delta }x)`$ will correspond to the potential $`V(x+\mathrm{\Delta }x)`$. Respectively, $`D_{N2}=D(x\mathrm{\Delta }x)`$ will correspond to the potential $`V(x\mathrm{\Delta }x)`$. Presenting in the expression (9, 10,) $`V_N=V(x+\mathrm{\Delta }x),V_{N1}=V(x),2d_n=\mathrm{\Delta }x`$ and expanding (5, 6) in a series by infinitely small quantity $`\mathrm{\Delta }x`$, we get

$$\frac{1+B}{2}\frac{d^2D}{dx^2}(\mathrm{\Delta }x)^2+(1B)\frac{dD}{dx}\mathrm{\Delta }x(AB1)D+\theta \left((\mathrm{\Delta }x)^3\right)=0,$$
(12)   
where

$$B1=\left(2ik+\frac{1}{V(x)}\frac{dV(x)}{dx}\right)\mathrm{\Delta }x+\theta \left((\mathrm{\Delta }x)^2\right),$$

$$AB1=V(x)(\mathrm{\Delta }x)^2+\theta \left((\mathrm{\Delta }x)^3\right).$$
(13)   
Inserting (13) in to (12) and taking $`\mathrm{\Delta }x0`$, we find the desired equation for $`D(x)`$:

$$\frac{d^2D}{dx^2}\left(2ik+\frac{1}{V(x)}\frac{dV(x)}{dx}\right)\frac{dD}{dx}V(x)D=0$$
(14)   
To find TA and RA of the potential $`V(x)`$ it is necessary to solve the equation (14) with the following initial conditions:

$$D(a)=1,dD/dx_{x=a}=iV(a)/2k$$
(15)   
The value of the function $`D(x)`$ in the point $`x`$ determines TA of the potential $`V(x)`$. According to the equations (5, 6), the quantity $`P^{}(x)`$ satisfies the obtained equation (14) too. The initial conditions for $`P^{}(x)`$ are the following

$$P^{}(a)=0,dP^{}/dx_{x=a}=iV(a)/2k\mathrm{exp}i2ka$$
(16)   
Let us now consider the obtained result (14) for a case of a simple rectangular potential wall with width $`L=ba`$ and a constant potential $`V(x)=V_n`$. Then, it is easy to see, that the solution of the problem (14)-(15) is

$$D(b)=\mathrm{exp}ikL\left\{\mathrm{cos}k_nLi\frac{k_n^2+k^2}{2k_nk}\mathrm{sin}k_nL\right\},$$
(17)   
which, as was expected, agrees with (9) for $`L=2d_n`$.

In conclusion, it is interesting to note, that taking $`\mathrm{exp}ikxD(x)`$ as $`F_1(x)`$ and $`\mathrm{exp}ikxP(x)`$ as $`F_2(x)`$, from equation (14), we obtain the Schrödinger equation for function $`F_1(x)F_2(x)=L(x)`$;

$$\frac{d^2L}{dx^2}+\left(EV(x)\right)L=0$$
(18)   
while the $`F_1(x)+F_2(x)=\frac{i}{k}\frac{dL(x)}{dx}`$.

Thus, the problem of determination of TA and RA is reduced to the Cauchy problem for Shrodinger equation (18), with initial condition (7).