QUANTUM TUNNELING
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Quantum physics governs the laws of the fundamental particles, atoms and molecules of our Universe. The mathmatics have been applied to explain counter-intuitive phenomena. For example, not only can a particles be in two places at once, it can be two things at once–and if they are far apart they can even communicate with each other at a speed faster than light. Quantum Tunneling is the quantum mechanical phenomenon where a particle tunnels through a barrier that it classically could not surmount. These strange facts of physics may even hold answers to the Sasquatch Phenomena. Learn how Physicists have solved the quantum tunneling mystery below.
An international team of scientists studying ultrafast physics have solved a mystery of quantum mechanics, and found that quantum tunneling is an instantaneous process.
The new theory could lead to faster and smaller electronic components, for which quantum tunneling is a significant factor. It will also lead to a better understanding of diverse areas such as electron microscopy, nuclear fusion and DNA mutations.
“Timescales this short have never been explored before. It’s an entirely new world,” said one of the international team, Professor Anatoli Kheifets, from The Australian National University (ANU).
“We have modelled the most delicate processes of nature very accurately.”
At very small scales quantum physics shows that particles such as electrons have wave-like properties — their exact position is not well defined. This means they can occasionally sneak through apparently impenetrable barriers, a phenomenon called quantum tunneling.
Quantum tunneling plays a role in a number of phenomena, such as nuclear fusion in the sun, scanning tunneling microscopy, and flash memory for computers. However, the leakage of particles also limits the miniaturisation of electronic components.
Professor Kheifets and Dr. Igor Ivanov, from the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering, are members of a team which studied ultrafast experiments at the attosecond scale (10-18 seconds), a field that has developed in the last 15 years.
Until their work, a number of attosecond phenomena could not be adequately explained, such as the time delay when a photon ionised an atom.
“At that timescale the time an electron takes to quantum tunnel out of an atom was thought to be significant. But the mathematics says the time during tunneling is imaginary — a complex number — which we realised meant it must be an instantaneous process,” said Professor Kheifets.
“A very interesting paradox arises, because electron velocity during tunneling may become greater than the speed of light. However, this does not contradict the special theory of relativity, as the tunneling velocity is also imaginary” said Dr Ivanov, who recently took up a position at the Center for Relativistic Laser Science in Korea.
The world of quantum mechanics is still a mystery to most who study it and those authorities on the topic admit that it is still a confusing area of study. This can also be said for the on going investigation of Bigfoot; as we learn more the more complex the answers become.
Ron Morehead has been investigating the Bigfoot phenomena for over 4 decades and has come to believe the answers may lay in the further understanding of Quantum Physics. Our understanding of Bigfoot could be instantaneous answered, someday.
SRC: Learn more about this Quantum Tunneling Discovery at: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150527103112.htm