Spherical square well ($V(r)=-V_0{1}_{\{r<a\}}$)

A spherical square well is a central potential equal to a negative constant inside a sphere and zero outside it. For an S-wave scattering state with exterior wave number $k$, the interior wave number obeys ${\kappa }^2=k^2+2m{V}_0/{\hslash }^2$. Continuity of the reduced radial wave and its derivative gives $\kappa \cot (\kappa a)=k\cot (ka+{\delta }_0)$, relating the depth to the scattering phase shift.

For well depth $U$ and radius $a$, let $u=r\psi$ for a regular spherically symmetric wavefunction. At energy $-U<E<0$, the interior is $u=C\sin (kr)$ and the exterior is proportional to $e^{-\kappa r}$, with $k^2=2m(U+E)/{\hslash }^2$ and ${\kappa }^2=-2mE/{\hslash }^2$. Matching gives $k\cot (ka)=-\kappa$. The first negative-energy solution exists strictly above the displayed threshold. At equality the exterior zero-energy wave behaves as $1/r$ and is not square-integrable, so the threshold is not itself a bound state.