Lowest energy state with infinite and finite potential

[omiros]

Hello everyone and thanks for reading my post.

I have a problem with an electron, which actually is confined into a region 0 ≤ x≤ L with infinite potential around it, and its energy in the ground state is 0.38eV. Then on the x > L region the potential is 5eV and the energy of the lowest eigenstate is 0.32eV. What causes that difference?

Thanks for your time.

 

[mfb]

The different potential causes a difference.

In the second case, the wavefunction will extend a bit into the x>L-region. This is similar to a larger potential well, so the ground state has a lower energy.

 

[ibgumel]

I think the difference happen as a result of the TUNNELLING of the electron into the potential barrier.