Long-lived Quasibound States Research Articles

Bound states in the Brillouin zone continuum

Systems with space periodic Hamiltonians have unique scattering properties. The discrete translational symmetry associated with periodicity of the Hamiltonian creates scattering channels that govern the scattering process. We consider a two-dimensional scattering system in which one dimension is a periodic lattice and the other is localized in space. The scattering and decay processes can then be described in terms of channels indexed by the Bloch momentum. We find the 1D periodic lattice can sustain two types of bound states in the positive energy continuum (BICs): one protected by reflection symmetry, the other protected by discrete translational symmetry. The lattice also sustains long-lived quasibound states. We expect that our results can be generalized to the behavior of states in the continuum of 2D periodic lattices.

Semiclassical methods for calculating radiative association rate constants for different thermodynamic conditions: Application to formation of CO, CN, and SiN.

It is well-known that resonances can serve as a catalyst for molecule formation. Rate constants for resonance-induced molecule formation are phenomenological as they depend upon the mechanism used to populate the resonances. Standard treatments assume tunneling from the continuum is the only available population mechanism, which means long-lived quasibound states are essentially unpopulated. However, if a fast resonance population mechanism exists, the long-lived quasibound states may be populated and give rise to a substantial increase in the molecule formation rate constant. In the present work, we show that the semiclassical formula of Kramers and ter Haar [Bull. Astron. Inst. Neth. 10, 137 (1946)] may be used to compute rate constants for radiative association in the limit of local thermodynamic equilibrium. Comparisons are made with quantum mechanical and standard semiclassical treatments, and results are shown for two limits which provide upper and lower bounds for the six most important radiative association reactions leading to the formation of CO, CN, and SiN. These results may have implications for interstellar chemistry in molecular clouds, where the environmental and thermodynamic conditions often are uncertain.

Quasistationary solutions of scalar fields around collapsing self-interacting boson stars

There is increasing numerical evidence that scalar fields can form long-lived quasi-bound states around black holes. Recent perturbative and numerical relativity calculations have provided further confirmation in a variety of physical systems, including both static and accreting black holes, and collapsing fermionic stars. In this work we investigate this issue yet again in the context of gravitationally unstable boson stars leading to black hole formation. We build a large sample of spherically symmetric initial models, both stable and unstable, incorporating a self-interaction potential with a quartic term. The three different outcomes of unstable models, namely migration to the stable branch, total dispersion, and collapse to a black hole, are also present for self-interacting boson stars. Our simulations show that for black-hole-forming models, a scalar-field remnant is found outside the black-hole horizon, oscillating at a different frequency than that of the original boson star. This result is in good agreement with recent spherically symmetric simulations of unstable Proca stars collapsing to black holes.

Time-Dependent Quantum Wave Packet Study of the Si + OH → SiO + H Reaction: Cross Sections and Rate Constants.

The dynamics of the Si(3P) + OH(X2Π) → SiO(X1Σ+) + H(2S) reaction is investigated by means of the time-dependent wave packet (TDWP) approach using an ab initio potential energy surface recently developed by Dayou et al. ( J. Chem. Phys. 2013 , 139 , 204305 ) for the ground X2A' electronic state. Total reaction probabilities have been calculated for the first 15 rotational states j = 0-14 of OH(v=0,j) at a total angular momentum J = 0 up to a collision energy of 1 eV. Integral cross sections and state-selected rate constants for the temperature range 10-500 K were obtained within the J-shifting approximation. The reaction probabilities display highly oscillatory structures indicating the contribution of long-lived quasibound states supported by the deep SiOH/HSiO wells. The cross sections behave with collision energies as expected for a barrierless reaction and are slightly sensitive to the initial rotational excitation of OH. The thermal rate constants show a marked temperature dependence below 200 K with a maximum value around 15 K. The TDWP results globally agree with the results of earlier quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations carried out by Rivero-Santamaria et al. ( Chem. Phys. Lett. 2014 , 610-611 , 335 - 340 ) with the same potential energy surface. In particular, the thermal rate constants display a similar temperature dependence, with TDWP values smaller than the QCT ones over the whole temperature range.

Ultrafast x-ray-induced nuclear dynamics in diatomic molecules using femtosecond x-ray-pump–x-ray-probe spectroscopy

The capability of generating two intense, femtosecond x-ray pulses with controlled time delay opens the possibility of performing time-resolved experiments for x-ray induced phenomena. We have applied this capability to study the photoinduced dynamics in diatomic molecules. In molecules composed of low-Z elements, \textit{K}-shell ionization creates a core-hole state in which the main decay mode is an Auger process involving two electrons in the valence shell. After Auger decay, the nuclear wavepackets of the transient two-valence-hole states continue evolving on the femtosecond timescale, leading either to separated atomic ions or long-lived quasi-bound states. By using an x-ray pump and an x-ray probe pulse tuned above the \textit{K}-shell ionization threshold of the nitrogen molecule, we are able to observe ion dissociation in progress by measuring the time-dependent kinetic energy releases of different breakup channels. We simulated the measurements on N$_2$ with a molecular dynamics model that accounts for \textit{K}-shell ionization, Auger decay, and the time evolution of the nuclear wavepackets. In addition to explaining the time-dependent feature in the measured kinetic energy release distributions from the dissociative states, the simulation also reveals the contributions of quasi-bound states.

Waveforms in massive gravity and neutralization of giant black hole ringings

A distorted black hole radiates gravitational waves in order to settle down in a smoother geometry. During that relaxation phase, a characteristic damped ringing is generated. It can be theoretically constructed from both the black hole quasinormal frequencies (which govern its oscillating behavior and its decay) and the associated excitation factors (which determine intrinsically its amplitude) by carefully taking into account the source of the distortion. In the framework of massive gravity, the excitation factors of the Schwarzschild black hole have an unexpected strong resonant behavior which, theoretically, could lead to giant and slowly decaying ringings. If massive gravity is relevant to physics, one can hope to observe these extraordinary ringings by using the next generations of gravitational wave detectors. Indeed, they could be generated by supermassive black holes if the graviton mass is not too small. In fact, by focusing on the odd-parity $\ell=1$ mode of the Fierz-Pauli field, we shall show here that such ringings are neutralized in waveforms due to (i) the excitation of the quasibound states of the black hole and (ii) the evanescent nature of the particular partial modes which could excite the concerned quasinormal modes. Despite this, with observational consequences in mind, it is interesting to note that the waveform amplitude is nevertheless rather pronounced and slowly decaying (this effect is now due to the long-lived quasibound states). It is worth noting also that, for very low values of the graviton mass (corresponding to the weak instability regime for the black hole), the waveform is now very clean and dominated by an ordinary ringing which could be used as a signature of massive gravity.

Nonlinear evolutions of bosonic clouds around black holes

Black holes are a laboratory not only for testing the theory of gravity but also for exploring the properties of fundamental fields. Fundamental fields around a supermassive black hole give rise to extremely long-lived quasi-bound states which can in principle extract the energy and angular momentum from the black hole. To investigate the final state of such a system, the backreaction onto the spacetime becomes important because of the nonlinearity of the Einstein equation. In this paper, we review the numerical method to trace the evolution of massive scalar fields in the vicinity of black holes, how such a system originates from scalar clouds initially in the absence of black holes or from the capture of scalar clouds by a black hole, and the evolution of quasi-bound states around both a non-rotating black hole and a rotating black hole including the backreaction.

Wiggly tails: A gravitational wave signature of massive fields around black holes

Massive fields can exist in long-lived configurations around black holes. We examine how the gravitational wave signal of a perturbed black hole is affected by such `dirtiness' within linear theory. As a concrete example, we consider the gravitational radiation emitted by the infall of a massive scalar field into a Schwarzschild black hole. Whereas part of the scalar field is absorbed/scattered by the black hole and triggers gravitational wave emission, another part lingers in long-lived quasi-bound states. Solving numerically the Teukolsky master equation for gravitational perturbations coupled to the massive Klein-Gordon equation, we find a characteristic gravitational wave signal, composed by a quasi-normal ringing followed by a late time tail. In contrast to `clean' black holes, however, the late time tail contains small amplitude wiggles with the frequency of the dominating quasi-bound state. Additionally, an observer dependent beating pattern may also be seen. These features were already observed in fully non-linear studies; our analysis shows they are present at linear level, and, since it reduces to a 1+1 dimensional numerical problem, allows for cleaner numerical data. Moreover, we discuss the power law of the tail and that it only becomes universal sufficiently far away from the `dirty' black hole. The wiggly tails, by constrast, are a generic feature that may be used as a smoking gun for the presence of massive fields around black holes, either as a linear cloud or as fully non-linear hair.

Formation mechanism of bound states in graphene point contacts

Electronic localization in narrow graphene constrictions is theoretically studied, and it is found that long-lived quasibound states (QBSs) can exist in a class of ultrashort graphene quantum point contacts (QPCs). These QBSs are shown to originate from the dispersionless edge states that are characteristic of the electronic structure of generically terminated graphene, in which pseudo-time-reversal symmetry is broken. The QBSs can be regarded as interface states confined between two graphene samples, and their properties can be modified by changing the sizes of the QPC and the interface geometry. In the presence of bearded sites, these QBSs can be converted into bound states. Experimental consequences and potential applications are discussed.

Quantum-to-Classical Crossover of Quasibound States in Open Quantum Systems

In the semiclassical limit of open ballistic quantum systems, we demonstrate the emergence of instantaneous decay modes guided by classical escape faster than the Ehrenfest time. The decay time of the associated quasibound states is smaller than the classical time of flight. The remaining long-lived quasibound states obey random-matrix statistics, renormalized in compliance with the recently proposed fractal Weyl law for open systems [W.T. Lu, S. Sridhar, and M. Zworski, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 154101 (2003)]. We validate our theory numerically for a model system, the open kicked rotator.

Electron emission and trapping in ion - Rydberg atom collisions in a magnetic field

With an extended version of the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method to take into account the quasi-integrable initial state, we calculate the ionization cross section for singly charged ions colliding with Rydberg atoms in the presence of a magnetic field of 4 Tesla. Strong evidence for long-lived quasi-bound states, created and located around three centres (target nucleus, projectile nucleus and potential saddle between the two) is found which are caused by the trapping and multiple scattering of emitted electrons in the external fields.