Semiclassical tunneling in real time: Wave-packet dynamics in static and driven barrier potentials
- Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104 Freiburg (Germany)
We study to what extent propagation of wave packets through potential barriers can be described semiclassically in real time. By analyzing the semiclassical approximation to the exact path-integral representation of the quantum-mechanical time evolution operator, we show that in the long-time sector it is dominated by quasiclassical fluctuations associated with caustics. Contrary to the description of tunneling in imaginary times, simple tunneling paths even for complex energies do not exist. Our findings lead to an extended semiclassical propagation scheme for wave-packet dynamics which is numerical efficient and accurately describes deep incoherent tunneling through static and externally driven barrier potentials.
- OSTI ID:
- 20640282
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. A, Vol. 68, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.68.042108; (c) 2003 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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