Infinite one-dimensional potential well
With zero potential inside 0<x<L and impenetrable walls, normalized eigenfunctions are √(2/L) sin(nπx/L) and energies are n²π²ħ²/(2mL²), n=1,2,… .
Key knowledge
With zero potential inside 0<x<L and impenetrable walls, normalized eigenfunctions are √(2/L) sin(nπx/L) and energies are n²π²ħ²/(2mL²), n=1,2,… . The walls impose zero wavefunction, giving a nonzero ground energy.
Values and equations
φ_n(x)=√(2/L)sin(nπx/L); E_n=n²π²ħ²/(2mL²)
- φ_n
- Normalized one-dimensional wavefunction m⁻¹ᐟ²
- x,L
- Position and width m
- m
- Particle mass kg
- ħ
- Reduced Planck constant J s
- E_n
- Energy J
- n
- Positive integer
Conditions and scope
- One nonrelativistic particle, m>0 and L>0, fixed ideal walls; finite wells have different boundary matching.
- The allowed eigenstates start at n=1; n=0 would give an identically zero, unnormalizable function.
Sources · 1
References
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Evidence and review
Quantum Mechanics (2010): Infinite potential well: Equations 303–310: endpoint conditions, energies and normalization; excludes the n=0 lower limit printed in the later general series.
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