GaAs Single Quantum Well

In semiconductors, it is possible to make actual potential wells by sandwiching a “well” layer of one semiconductor material (such as InGaAs) between two “barrier” layers of another semiconductor material (such as InP). In this structure, the electron has lower energy in the “well” material, and sees some potential barrier height Vo at the interface to the “barrier” materials. This kind of structure is used extensively in, for example, the lasers for telecommunications with optical fibers. In semiconductors, such potential wells are called “quantum wells”.(*)

This m-file (GaAs_QW) calculates the energy levels in a GaAs single quantum well with constant effective mass vs. different well widths. It also plots the corresponding eigenfunctions given the potential energy and well width.

(*) David. A. B. Miller, Quantum Mechanics for Scientist and Engineers. Cambridge.

PhD Student. Ernesto Momox Beristain.

Enjoy!