On the path length of an excess electron interacted with optical phonons in a molecular chain

Abstract

We show that in a molecular chain with dispersionless phonons at zero temperature, a “quasistationary” moving soliton state of an excess electron is possible. As the soliton velocity vanishes, the path length of the excess electron exponentially tends to infinity. It is demonstrated that in the presence of dispersion, when the soliton initial velocity exceeds the maximum group velocity of the chain, the soliton slows down until it reaches the maximum group velocity and then moves stationarily at this maximum group velocity. A conclusion is made of the fallacy of some works were the existence of moving polarons in a dispersionless medium is considered infeasible.