Attractive Kronig-Penney Potential Dispersion Relation Confirmation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the dispersion relation for the attractive Kronig-Penney potential, specifically seeking confirmation of its formulation as presented on Wikipedia. Participants explore the implications of the attractive nature of the potential on calculations and seek literature references to support their inquiries.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests confirmation of the dispersion relation for the attractive Kronig-Penney potential as stated on Wikipedia, expressing difficulty in calculating the determinant.
  • Another participant references Ashcroft and Mermin's treatment of the Kronig-Penney model for a potential barrier, suggesting it may provide useful insights despite not addressing the attractive potential directly.
  • A participant shares their struggle to adapt the solution from Ashcroft and Mermin, questioning how the attractive (negative) potential alters the calculations and seeks clarification on the meaning of the variable ##\delta## in their equation.
  • Repeated expressions of uncertainty regarding the application of equations and the nature of the attractive potential indicate a learning curve among participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not appear to reach consensus on the correct application of the dispersion relation or the implications of the attractive potential, with multiple viewpoints and uncertainties expressed throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants indicate limitations in their understanding of how the attractive nature of the potential affects the calculations, and there is mention of unresolved aspects related to the variable ##\delta## and its role in the equations being used.

essil
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Hi all!

Can anyone confirm (or point me to literature) that the dispersion relation for the attractive Kronig-Penney potential is correctly given on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_in_a_one-dimensional_lattice):
$$cos(ka) = cos(\beta b)cos(\alpha (a-b))-\frac{\alpha ^2 + \beta ^2}{2\alpha \beta} sin(\beta b) sin(\alpha (a-b)) $$
I have been unsuccessful at calculating the determinant (also given on Wikipedia) despite multiple tries, and was unable to find literature which deals with the attractive variant of the potential.
 
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Ashcroft and Mermin treat the Kronig-Penney model for a potential barrier, but not an attractive potential. I think the algebra for working to the solution is likely to be similar, so you might want to check out the book "Solid State Physics" by Ashcroft and Mermin. I found the discussion on pp.148-149 of the copy that I have.
 
Thank you for your reply. I have tried to modify the solution from Ashcroft and Mermin, but I am not very experienced in the field yet and I do not quite understand how the fact that my potential is attractive (negative) changes the calculations made in the book. I have used the equation

##\frac{cos(Ka+\delta)}{|t|}=cos(ka)##, where a is the period of the potential. Also I've found the transmission coefficient for the potential well here: http://www.physicspages.com/2012/08/05/finite-square-well-scattering/ (solution from Griffiths), but couldn't reproduce the dispersion relation. This might be a stupid question, but what is ##\delta## in this problem? Can I even use the equation above in this form?
 
essil said:
Thank you for your reply. I have tried to modify the solution from Ashcroft and Mermin, but I am not very experienced in the field yet and I do not quite understand how the fact that my potential is attractive (negative) changes the calculations made in the book. I have used the equation

##\frac{cos(Ka+\delta)}{|t|}=cos(ka)##, where a is the period of the potential. Also I've found the transmission coefficient for the potential well here: http://www.physicspages.com/2012/08/05/finite-square-well-scattering/ (solution from Griffiths), but couldn't reproduce the dispersion relation. This might be a stupid question, but what is ##\delta## in this problem? Can I even use the equation above in this form?
I am also on a learning curve with material such as this. Many years ago, I had a couple of graduate level solid state physics courses, but I don't have very much expertise in that area.
 

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