Deterministic resonance formation and decay under bohmian mechanics

Abstract

The behaviour of a wavepacket, while traversing a complex forming potential, is analyzed using Bohm's version of quantum mechanics. The passage of the wavepacket, across the classical external potential, leads to formation, and eventually to decay, of states living longer than typical scattering states, i.e. to resonances. Plotting Bohm's total potential, as a function of position and time, leads to a deterministic mechanism of resonance formation, persistence and decay, in terms of potential energy diagrams, which lead to a classical-like analysis of dynamics. Interestingly, resonance persistence and decay is triggered by a radiation-like time-evolution of the total potential, in the direction backwards of the initial wavepacket propagation. This decay is evidenced in a density exiting in ‘lumps’, at periodic times.