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5 - Energy Quantization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2023

Uri Peskin
Affiliation:
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
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Summary

Energy quantization in nanoscale materials is manifested in a “blue-shift” of the emission spectrum of nanoparticles of decreasing size. The phenomenon is known as the “quantum size effect,” namely, the increasing gaps between energy levels for a spatially confined particle. The effect is demonstrated by solving the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation for the “particle in a box” model. The confining potential translates into boundary conditions, which result in energy quantization, where the corresponding standing wave solutions demonstrate remarkable differences from the classical description. Different energy levels are obtained by changing boundary conditions to periodic, for a “particle on a ring,” where the phenomenon energy level degeneracy is introduced. Extending the discussion to multidimensional “boxes” enables one to analyze the energy spectrum and the density of states nanostructures including quantum dots, wires, and wells, with references to the devices based on a two-dimensional electron gas, and to quantized conductance through point contacts.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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References

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Peskin, U., “An introduction to the formulation of steady-state transport through molecular junctions,” Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 43, 153001 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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  • Energy Quantization
  • Uri Peskin, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
  • Book: Quantum Mechanics in Nanoscience and Engineering
  • Online publication: 11 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108877787.006
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  • Energy Quantization
  • Uri Peskin, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
  • Book: Quantum Mechanics in Nanoscience and Engineering
  • Online publication: 11 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108877787.006
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Energy Quantization
  • Uri Peskin, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
  • Book: Quantum Mechanics in Nanoscience and Engineering
  • Online publication: 11 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108877787.006
Available formats
×