What the heck is a Potential Well?

In summary, a potential well is a "depression" in the profile of potential energy that can trap particles within it. In quantum mechanics, it is often represented as a square potential well. As for the video on the blogpost "The Black Hole," the person in the blue shirt with glasses is most likely the author of the blog, Zapper.
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user101
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Hi, I'm reading my semiconductors book and I have NO idea about what this is. I don't really understand what a potential well is. They say that it can form new devices, but never says how.

Wikipedia isn't helping either. Anyone care to jump in?
 
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  • #2
Your semiconductor book doesn't require you to know a bit of quantum physics before reading it?

Zz.
 
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Ok If I'm reading this right, a potential well is when either the conduction or valence band has a spike, where in this spike, it can trap charge careers?

and Zapper, I was looking at your blog, specifically at your blogpost "The Black Hole" where you post a video of you being on comedy central. Congrats. Which one is you?
 
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  • #4
user101 said:
Ok If I'm reading this right, a potential well is when either the conduction or valence band has a spike, where in this spike, it can trap charge careers?

I can't say anything about what you are reading. However, a "potential well" is any "depression" in the profile of the potential energy. For example, a harmonic oscillator has a potential well described by [itex]V(x) = -kx^2[/itex]. You can also have a square potential well, which is what most students in quantum mechanics would encounter, etc.. etc. You can sort of think of it as a "valley", where particles not having enough energy will usually be confined within that well.

and Zapper, I was looking at your blog, specifically at your blogpost "The Black Hole" where you post a video of you being on comedy central. Congrats. Which one is you?

The ugly one! :)

Zz.
 
  • #5
I'm guessing you're the guy in the blue shirt with glasses, cause I think that's the only time when the video shows a clip of a guy for 1.5 sec. Am I right :) ?
 

FAQ: What the heck is a Potential Well?

What is a Potential Well?

A Potential Well is a concept used in physics and engineering to describe a region in space where a particle or object experiences a force that pulls it towards the center. It can also refer to a region where the potential energy of an object is at a minimum.

How is a Potential Well created?

A Potential Well is typically created by a force field, such as gravity, electric field, or magnetic field. The force field causes an object or particle to experience a force that pulls it towards the center, creating a potential well.

What is the significance of a Potential Well?

Potential Wells are important in understanding the behavior of particles and objects in various fields of science. They are used to explain phenomena such as the stability of atoms and the motion of celestial bodies. They also play a crucial role in the design of electronic devices and particle accelerators.

Can a Potential Well have different shapes?

Yes, a Potential Well can have different shapes depending on the force field and the properties of the object or particle. For example, a gravitational potential well has a spherical shape, while an electric potential well can have a cylindrical or planar shape.

How is a Potential Well related to potential energy?

A Potential Well is closely related to potential energy. In a gravitational potential well, the potential energy of an object is at its minimum at the center of the well. Similarly, in an electric potential well, the potential energy of a charged particle is at its minimum at the center of the well. The depth of the well represents the amount of potential energy that an object or particle has at that point.

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