Abstract
Consider a system rendered unstable by both quantum tunneling and thermodynamic fluctuation. The tunneling rate $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$, at temperature ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, is related to the free energy $F$ by $\ensuremath{\Gamma}=(\frac{2}{\ensuremath{\hbar}})\mathrm{Im}F$. However, the classical escape rate is $\ensuremath{\Gamma}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\beta}}{\ensuremath{\pi}})\mathrm{Im}F$, $\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{2}$ being the negative eigenvalue at the saddle point. A general theory of metastability is constructed in which these formulas are true for temperatures, respectively, below and above $\frac{\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\hbar}}{2\ensuremath{\pi}}$ with a narrow transition region of $O({\ensuremath{\hbar}}^{\frac{3}{2}})$.
Keywords
OmegaPhysicsMetastabilityQuantum tunnellingEnergy (signal processing)Saddle pointQuantum mechanicsCondensed matter physics
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1981
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 388-391
- Citations
- 623
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Ian Affleck
(1981).
Quantum-Statistical Metastability.
Physical Review Letters
, 46
(6)
, 388-391.
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.46.388
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1103/physrevlett.46.388