Gamov factor tunneling

This formula, aside from the prefactor, is simply a one-dimensional Gamov factor for tunneling in the barrier shown in fig. 12. The temperature dependence of k, being Arrhenius at high temperatures, levels off to near the cross-over temperature which, for A = 0, is equal to ... 

From the very simple WKB considerations it is clear that the tunneling rate is proportional to the Gamov factor exp —2j[2(F(s(0) — )] ds, where s Q) is a path in two dimensions Q= 61)62 ) connecting the initial and flnal states. The most probable tunneling path , or instanton, which renders the Gamov factor maximum, represents a compromise of two competing factors, the barrier height and its width. That is, one has to optimise the instanton path not only in time, as has been done in the previous section, but also in space. This complicates the problem so that numerical calculations are usually needed. 

Figure 11. Change of exponent of Gamov factor for collinear harmonic model of two-dimensional tunneling in relation (32). the horizontal axis is the ratio of force constants of inter-and intramolecular vibrations tj = K23/Ki2, — m2 = m3.

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