Euclidean Resonance: Application to Physical and Chemical Experiments

Abstract

The phenomenon of Euclidean resonance (a strong enhancement of quantum tunneling through a nonstationary potential barrier) is applied to disintegration of atoms and molecules through tunnel barriers formed by applied constant and time-dependent electric fields. There are two different channels for such disintegration, electronic and ionic. The electronic mechanism is associated with the ionization of a molecule into an electron and a positive ion. The required frequencies are in a wide range between 100 MHZ and infrared. This mechanism may constitute a method of selective destruction of chemical bonds. The ionic mechanism consists of dissociation of a molecule into two ions. Since an ion is more massive than an electron, the necessary frequency is about 1 MHZ. This provides a theoretical possibility of a different method of isotope separation by radio frequency waves. The small sub-barrier tunneling probability of nuclear processes can be dramatically enhanced by collision with incident charged particles. Semiclassical methods of theory of complex trajectories have been applied to nuclear tunneling, and conditions for the effect have been obtained. The enhancement of α particle decay by incident proton with energy of about 0.25 MeV has been demonstrated. The general features of this process are common for other sub-barrier nuclear processes and can be applied to nuclear fission.