IPhO 1993 · Theory problem 3

Electron Beam

General Tabulated Information

Quantity Symbol Value
Earth’s mean radius \(R_E\) \(6.4\times10^6\ \mathrm{m}\).
acceleration due to gravity \(g\) \(9.8\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-2}}\).
Newtonian gravitational constant \(G\) \(6.67\times10^{-11}\ \mathrm{N\,m^2\,kg^{-2}}\).
permittivity of vacuum \(\varepsilon_0\) \(8.85\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm{C^2\,N^{-1}\,m^{-2}}\).
permeability of vacuum \(\mu_0\) \(8.85\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{N\,A^{-2}}\) [sic; correct value \(4\pi\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{N\,A^{-2}}\)].
speed of light in vacuum (or air) \(c\) \(3.00\times10^8\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}\).
elementary charge \(e\) \(1.60\times10^{-19}\ \mathrm{C}\).
mass of electron \(m_e\) \(9.11\times10^{-31}\ \mathrm{kg}\).
mass of proton \(m_p\) \(1.67\times10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}\)
Planck constant \(h\) \(6.63\times10^{-34}\ \mathrm{J\,s}\).
Avogadro constant \(N_A\) \(6{,}02\times10^{23}\ \mathrm{mol^{-1}}\).
Boltzmann constant \(k\) \(1.38\times10^{-23}\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}\).
molar gas constant \(R\) \(8.31\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\).

Theoretical Problem 3

ELECTRON BEAM

An accelerating voltage \(V_0\) produces a uniform, parallel beam of energetic electrons. The electrons pass a thin, long, positively charged copper wire stretched at right angles to the original direction of the beam, as shown in the figure. The symbol \(b\) denotes the distance at which an electron would pass the wire if the wire were uncharged. The electrons then proceed to a screen (viewing surface) a distance \(L\) (\(\gg b\)) beyond the wire, as shown. The beam initially extends to distances \(\pm b_{\max}\) with respect to the axis of the wire. Both the width of the beam and the length of the wire may be considered infinite in the direction perpendicular to the paper.

Figure 1

The charged wire extends perpendicularly to the plane of the paper. The sketch is not to scale.

Some numerical data are provided here; you will find other numerical data in the table at the front of the examination:

radius of wire \(=r_0=\) \(10^{-6}\ \mathrm{m}\)
maximum value of \(b\) \(=b_{\max}=\) \(10^{-4}\ \mathrm{m}\)
electric charge per unit length of wire \(=q_{\mathrm{linear}}=\) \(4.4\times10^{-11}\ \mathrm{C\,m^{-1}}\)
accelerating voltage \(=V_0=\) \(2\times10^4\ \mathrm{V}\)
length from wire to observing screen \(=L=\) \(0.3\ \mathrm{m}\).

Note: For parts 2 - 4, make reasonable approximations that lead to analytical and numerical solutions.

1) Calculate the electric field \(\mathbf E\) produced by the wire. Sketch the magnitude of \(\mathbf E\) as a function of distance from the axis of the wire.

2) Use classical physics to calculate the angular deflection of an electron. Do this for values of the parameter \(b\) such that the electron does not strike the wire. Let \(\theta_{\mathrm{final}}\) denote the (small) angle between the initial velocity of the electron and the velocity when the electron reaches the viewing surface. Hence, calculate \(\theta_{\mathrm{final}}\).

3) Calculate and sketch the pattern of impacts (i.e. the intensity distribution) on the viewing screen that classical physics predicts.

4) Quantum physics predicts a major difference in the intensity distribution (relative to what classical physics predicts). Sketch the pattern for the quantum prediction and provide quantitative detail.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

Let \(y\) be the signed transverse coordinate on the screen, with \(y=0\) directly opposite the wire, and let \(I_0\) be the incident beam intensity.

  1. The field is radially outward: \[ \boxed{ \mathbf E(r)= \begin{cases} 0,&r<r_0,\\[2pt] \dfrac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0r}\,\hat{\mathbf r}, &r>r_0. \end{cases}} \] Its magnitude jumps from zero to \(7.9\times10^5\ \mathrm{V\,m^{-1}}\) at the surface, then decreases as \(1/r\).

  2. Electrons passing on either side are deflected toward the axis by approximately the same angle: \[ \boxed{\theta_{\mathrm{final}}\simeq \frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{4\varepsilon_0V_0} =6.2\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{rad}.} \]

  3. Including the wire’s finite radius, the classical pattern is \[ \boxed{ I_{\mathrm{cl}}(y)\simeq \begin{cases} 2I_0,&|y|<17.6\ \mu\mathrm m,\\ I_0,&17.6\ \mu\mathrm m<|y|<81.4\ \mu\mathrm m,\\ 0,&|y|>81.4\ \mu\mathrm m. \end{cases}} \] Thus the central doubled-intensity band is about \(35\ \mu\mathrm m\) wide, and the whole illuminated region is about \(163\ \mu\mathrm m\) wide.

  4. For coherent electrons, the central overlap region contains interference fringes: \[ \boxed{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}\simeq8.7\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm m,\qquad d\simeq\frac{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}}{2\theta_{\mathrm{final}}} =7.0\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm m=70\ \mathrm{nm}.} \] Away from the envelope edges, \[ \boxed{I_{\mathrm q}(y)\simeq4I_0\cos^2\!\left(\frac{\pi y}{d}\right)} \] in the overlap region. The centre is bright; successive maxima reach \(4I_0\), and minima reach zero. There are roughly \(5.1\times10^2\) fringe periods across the overlap region. The wings remain approximately at \(I_0\).

Solution

1) Electric field

Copper is a conductor, so its electrostatic field vanishes inside the wire. Outside an effectively infinite wire, cylindrical symmetry requires a radial field depending only on the distance \(r\) from its axis.

Apply Gauss’s law to a coaxial cylindrical surface of radius \(r>r_0\) and length \(\ell\): \[ E(r)(2\pi r\ell)=\frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}\ell}{\varepsilon_0}. \] Therefore, \[ \mathbf E(r)=\frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0r}\,\hat{\mathbf r}. \] The direction is outward because the wire is positively charged.

Numerically, \[ \frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0} =\frac{4.4\times10^{-11}}{2\pi(8.85\times10^{-12})} =0.791\ \mathrm V, \] so \[ E(r_0^+)=\frac{0.791}{10^{-6}} \simeq7.9\times10^5\ \mathrm{V\,m^{-1}}. \]

The requested graph lies on the horizontal axis for \(0\le r<r_0\), jumps upward at \(r=r_0\), and follows a decreasing \(1/r\) curve thereafter, approaching zero asymptotically. For example, \[ E(10r_0)=7.9\times10^4\ \mathrm{V\,m^{-1}},\qquad E(100r_0)=7.9\times10^3\ \mathrm{V\,m^{-1}}. \]

2) Angular deflection

Take the \(x\)-axis along the incident beam and the \(y\)-axis perpendicular to it in the plane of the figure. The wire passes through \(x=y=0\).

Use the nonrelativistic energy relation: \[ \frac12m_ev^2=eV_0, \qquad v=\sqrt{\frac{2eV_0}{m_e}} \simeq8.4\times10^7\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}. \] Here \(eV_0/(m_ec^2)\simeq0.039\), so the nonrelativistic treatment is a reasonable approximation for this problem.

We calculate the small transverse impulse along the undeflected path \(y=b\), taking \(v\) as constant. This is consistent with the weak wire potential: the potential difference between \(r_0\) and \(L\) is only \[ \Phi(r_0)-\Phi(L) =\frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0} \ln\!\left(\frac{L}{r_0}\right) \simeq10\ \mathrm V, \] much smaller than \(V_0=2\times10^4\ \mathrm V\).

For an electron passing above the wire, \(b>0\), the transverse force is \[ F_y=-eE_y =-\frac{e q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0} \frac{b}{x^2+b^2}. \] Since \(dt=dx/v\), the transverse momentum change by the time the electron reaches \(x=L\) is approximately \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta p_y &=\frac1v\int_{-\infty}^{L}F_y\,dx\\ &=-\frac{e q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{2\pi\varepsilon_0v} \left[\frac{\pi}{2}+\tan^{-1}\!\left(\frac{L}{b}\right)\right]. \end{aligned} \] The upstream limit assumes that the initial beam is specified sufficiently far from the wire compared with \(b\).

For a small deflection, \[ \theta_{\mathrm{final}}\simeq\frac{|\Delta p_y|}{m_ev}. \] Using \(m_ev^2=2eV_0\), \[ \theta_{\mathrm{final}}(b)\simeq \frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{4\pi\varepsilon_0V_0} \left[\frac{\pi}{2}+\tan^{-1}\!\left(\frac{L}{b}\right)\right]. \] Because \(L\gg b\), the bracket is approximately \(\pi\), giving \[ \boxed{\theta_{\mathrm{final}}\simeq \frac{q_{\mathrm{linear}}}{4\varepsilon_0V_0}.} \]

Thus, to this accuracy, the deflection is independent of the impact parameter: \[ \theta_{\mathrm{final}} =\frac{4.4\times10^{-11}} {4(8.85\times10^{-12})(2\times10^4)} \simeq6.2\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{rad}. \] Even at \(b=b_{\max}\), the finite-screen correction in the bracket is only about \(10^{-4}\) in relative magnitude.

The upper half of the beam is deflected downward; the lower half is deflected upward. Within the same approximation, transmitted electrons have \(b>r_0\). The small change in the collision cutoff caused by attraction is neglected.

3) Classical intensity distribution

Write \[ \alpha=\theta_{\mathrm{final}},\qquad a=L\alpha\simeq18.6\ \mu\mathrm m. \] Since \(L\gg b_{\max}\), the deflection can be treated as occurring near the wire. An electron incident a distance \(b\) above the axis therefore reaches \[ y=b-a, \] whereas one incident the same distance below reaches \[ y=-b+a. \]

Only \(r_0<b<b_{\max}\) is transmitted. Consequently, the two transmitted portions occupy the following screen intervals: \[ \begin{array}{ll} \text{upper incident portion:}&r_0-a<y<b_{\max}-a,\\[2pt] \text{lower incident portion:}&-b_{\max}+a<y<a-r_0. \end{array} \] Numerically, these are \[ -17.6<y<81.4\ \mu\mathrm m \] and \[ -81.4<y<17.6\ \mu\mathrm m, \] respectively.

For each portion, the mapping has \(|dy/db|=1\). Conservation of electron flux therefore gives an intensity \(I_0\) wherever one portion arrives, and \(2I_0\) wherever both arrive.

Define \[ w=a-r_0\simeq17.6\ \mu\mathrm m,\qquad Y=b_{\max}-a\simeq81.4\ \mu\mathrm m. \] Then \[ \boxed{ I_{\mathrm{cl}}(y)= \begin{cases} 2I_0,&|y|<w,\\ I_0,&w<|y|<Y,\\ 0,&|y|>Y. \end{cases}} \]

The sketch is symmetric about \(y=0\). Starting from the left, the intensity jumps from zero to \(I_0\) at \(-81.4\ \mu\mathrm m\), rises to \(2I_0\) at \(-17.6\ \mu\mathrm m\), drops to \(I_0\) at \(+17.6\ \mu\mathrm m\), and returns to zero at \(+81.4\ \mu\mathrm m\). The bands extend uniformly parallel to the wire.

Their widths are \[ \text{central overlap width}=2(a-r_0)\simeq35.3\ \mu\mathrm m, \] \[ \text{each wing width}=b_{\max}-2a+r_0\simeq63.7\ \mu\mathrm m. \] There is no central geometrical shadow: the two deflected portions overlap.

As a flux check, \[ \int I_{\mathrm{cl}}(y)\,dy =2I_0(b_{\max}-r_0), \] which is exactly the incident flux excluding the electrons intercepted by the wire in this approximation.

4) Quantum intensity distribution

For an ideal monoenergetic, coherent incident beam, the portions passing on opposite sides of the wire interfere where they overlap.

The electron de Broglie wavelength is \[ \lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}=\frac{h}{p} =\frac{h}{\sqrt{2m_eeV_0}}, \] so \[ \lambda_{\mathrm{dB}} =\frac{6.63\times10^{-34}} {\sqrt{2(9.11\times10^{-31})(1.60\times10^{-19})(2\times10^4)}} \simeq8.7\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm m. \]

Within the overlap region, the two approximately plane waves propagate at angles \(+\alpha\) and \(-\alpha\) to the original direction. Their transverse wave-vector components are therefore \(+k\sin\alpha\) and \(-k\sin\alpha\), where \[ k=\frac{2\pi}{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}}. \] Reflection symmetry makes their phases equal at \(y=0\). Their phase difference at screen coordinate \(y\) is \[ \Delta\phi(y)=2ky\sin\alpha. \] Each wave separately contributes intensity \(I_0\), so \[ \begin{aligned} I_{\mathrm q}(y) &=I_0+I_0+2I_0\cos\Delta\phi\\ &=4I_0\cos^2(ky\sin\alpha). \end{aligned} \]

The fringe spacing is thus \[ d=\frac{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}}{2\sin\alpha} \simeq\frac{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}}{2\alpha}, \] giving \[ \boxed{d\simeq6.99\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm m\simeq70\ \mathrm{nm}.} \]

To geometrical-envelope accuracy, \[ \boxed{ I_{\mathrm q}(y)\simeq \begin{cases} 4I_0\cos^2\!\left(\dfrac{\pi y}{d}\right),&|y|<w,\\[4pt] I_0,&w<|y|<Y,\\ 0,&|y|>Y. \end{cases}} \]

The requested sketch has the same broad envelope as the classical pattern, but the central plateau is replaced by closely spaced fringes:

  • Bright fringes occur at \(y=nd\), with intensity \(4I_0\); \(n\) is an integer.
  • Dark fringes occur at \(y=(n+\tfrac12)d\), with zero intensity.
  • The central fringe at \(y=0\) is bright.
  • The fringes are straight and parallel to the wire.
  • Their mean intensity is \(2I_0\), equal to the classical central intensity.

The approximate number of fringe periods across the overlap region is \[ N\simeq\frac{2w}{d} =\frac{35.3\times10^{-6}}{6.99\times10^{-8}} \simeq5.1\times10^2. \]

Diffraction rounds the envelope boundaries, so the piecewise expression is intended away from those edges. The relevant transverse diffraction scale is of order \[ \sqrt{\lambda_{\mathrm{dB}}L}\simeq1.6\ \mu\mathrm m. \] A detector that cannot resolve the \(70\ \mathrm{nm}\) fringes measures their average and approximately recovers the classical distribution.

The solution was checked against the official solution.