Paper 1, Section II, A
A particle of mass scatters on a localised potential well in one dimension. With reference to the asymptotic behaviour of the wavefunction as , define the reflection and transmission amplitudes, and , for a right-moving incident particle of wave number . Define also the corresponding amplitudes, and , for a left-moving incident particle of wave number . Derive expressions for and in terms of and .
(a) Define the -matrix, giving its elements in terms of and . Using the relation
(which you need not derive), show that the S-matrix is unitary. How does the S-matrix simplify if the potential well satisfies ?
(b) Consider the potential well
The corresponding Schrödinger equation has an exact solution
with energy , for every real value of . [You do not need to verify this.] Find the S-matrix for scattering on this potential. What special feature does the scattering have in this case?
(c) Explain the connection between singularities of the S-matrix and bound states of the potential well. By analytic continuation of the solution to appropriate complex values of , find the wavefunctions and energies of the bound states of the well. [You do not need to normalise the wavefunctions.]