Frustrated Total Internal Reflection applied to Quantum Tunneling*

The objective of this project is to demonstrate an optical phenomenon, frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR), by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation (TDSE) in quantum mechanics, and to illustrate the correlations between FTIR and the quantum tunneling in one-dimensional quantum structures. We will use a MATLAB program to numerically propagate a Gaussian wave packet to penetrate finite square barriers. The transmission coefficient is then calculated as a function of the distance between two rectangular barriers/wells. The results will be useful to elucidate the correlations between optical FTIR and quantum tunneling.