Coherent classical-path description of deep tunneling

Abstract

The deep quantum tunnelling was analyzed using coherent classical paths involving real time classical trajectories. It was observed that a (Gaussian) wave packet, localized on one side of a barrier with mean energy and an energy variance significantly smaller than the barrier height was scattered off the barrier. It was found that the classical path contribution became too small, when the barrier was not parabolic. The results show that the wave packet will always possess a tail whose energy is larger than the barrier light.