Past exam of the physics A course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / Paper 1 / Section B / B6

Equation and boundary conditions. The delta potential has strength $V_0$ with units of energy times length, because the Dirac delta function has units of inverse length. The Time-independent Schrödinger equation isThe wavefunction is continuous at the origin. A finite jump in $\psi$ would produce a derivative of a Dirac delta function in ${\psi }^{\prime \prime }$, with no corresponding term in this potential. A jump in ${\psi }^{\prime }$ does produce a delta contribution and is allowed. Integrate through a symmetric interval:For continuous finite $\psi$, the right-hand side vanishes as $ϵ\to 0$. ConsequentlyThis derivative jump is the boundary condition associated with the attractive delta potential.

Unique bound state. For $E<0$, write $\kappa =\sqrt{-2mE}/\hslash >0$. Away from the origin, ${\psi }^{\prime \prime }={\kappa }^2\psi$. Normalizability excludes exponentials growing at either infinity, leavingContinuity gives $A=B=C$. The derivative jump then becomes $-2\kappa C=-2m{V}_{0}C/{\hslash }^2$. For a nonzero state,There is exactly one positive value of $\kappa$, so exactly one negative-energy bound state. An odd solution would have $\psi (0)=0$; the allowed decaying exponentials would then both vanish identically. Normalize the even solution usingChoosing the overall phase real and positive gives the bound state in a delta potential:It peaks at the origin, has a downward cusp there, and decays exponentially on both sides. Its value, but not its slope, is continuous.

Scattering amplitudes and fluxes. For $E>0$, put $k=\sqrt{2mE}/\hslash$ and retain $\kappa =m{V}_0/{\hslash }^2$ as a strength parameter. A unit-amplitude wave incident from the left hasContinuity gives $t=1+r$. The jump condition givesSolving,The probability current of a plane wave of amplitude $A$ is $\hslash k|A{|}^2/m$ in its propagation direction. Since the asymptotic wavenumber is the same on both sides, reflection probability and transmission probability are just $|r{|}^2$ and $|t{|}^2$:They satisfy $R+T=1$, expressing conserved probability current in this real potential.

The right-hand plot uses $\eta =\kappa /k=V_0\sqrt{m/(2E)}/\hslash$, proportional to $V_0$ at fixed incident energy. Then $R={\eta }^2/(1+{\eta }^2)$ rises monotonically from zero to one, while $T=1/(1+{\eta }^2)$ falls from one to zero; they are equal at $\eta =1$. Despite the absence of a classical forbidden barrier, an abrupt attractive interaction reflects a quantum wave. Increasing attraction strengthens the derivative mismatch and can approach complete reflection at fixed positive energy. At fixed $V_0$, increasing incident energy instead makes the well increasingly transparent. The negative-energy bound state and the positive-energy scattering states are different stationary solutions, not an absorptive loss channel.