Eur. Phys. J. B 25, 505-518 (2002)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e20020056

Dynamical effects of a one-dimensional multibarrier potential of finite range

¹ Department of Physics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
² Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Science, School of Physics, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel

Corresponding author: ^a bardan@mail.biu.ac.il

Received: 1 August 2001
Revised: 18 November 2001
Published online: 15 February 2002

Abstract

We discuss the properties of a large number N of one-dimensional (bounded) locally periodic potential barriers in a finite interval. We show that the transmission coefficient, the scattering cross section σ, and the resonances of σ depend sensitively upon the ratio of the total spacing to the total barrier width. We also show that a time dependent wave packet passing through the system of potential barriers rapidly spreads and deforms, a criterion suggested by Zaslavsky for chaotic behaviour. Computing the spectrum by imposing (large) periodic boundary conditions we find a Wigner type distribution. We investigate also the S-matrix poles; many resonances occur for certain values of the relative spacing between the barriers in the potential.