Enhanced observability of quantum postexponential decay using distant detectors Articles uri icon

publication date

  • July 2009

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 8

issue

  • 1, 012703

volume

  • 80

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1050-2947

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1094-1622

abstract

  • We study the elusive transition from exponential to postexponential (algebraic) decay of the probability density of a quantum particle emitted by an exponentially decaying source in one dimension. The main finding is that the probability density at the transition time, and thus its observability, increases with the distance of the detector from the source up to a critical distance beyond which exponential decay is no longer observed. Solvable models provide explicit expressions for the dependence of the transition on resonance and observational parameters, facilitating the choice of optimal conditions.

subjects

  • Physics

keywords

  • exponential decay; tunneling time; diffraction; space