Frontiers in Physics (Mar 2016)

Double general point interactions: symmetry and tunneling times

  • Molly A. Lee,
  • José T. Lunardi,
  • José T. Lunardi,
  • Luiz A. Manzoni,
  • Erik A. Nyquist

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2016.00010
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4

Abstract

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We consider the one dimensional problem of a non-relativistic quantum particle scattering off a double barrier built from two generalized point interactions (each one characterized as a member of the four parameter family of point interactions). The properties of the double point barrier under parity transformations are investigated, using the distributional approach, and the constraints on the parameters necessary for the interaction to have a well-defined parity are obtained. We show that the limit of zero interbarrier distance of a renormalized odd arrangement with two $delta'$ is either trivial or does not exist as a generalized point interaction. Finally, we specialize to double barriers with defined parity, calculate the phase and Salecker-Wigner-Peres clock times and argue that the emergence of the generalized Hartman effect is an artifact of the extreme opaque limit.

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