Transfer of Nuclear Particles

Abstract

The calculation of the wave function of a particle subjected to the field of two isolated potential wells is arranged in such a way as to bring into evidence the penetration factors for passage through regions of negative kinetic energy between the wells. The Schrödinger equation is replaced by an equivalent integral equation and the eigenfunction system of the latter is used for the expansion of the wave function. The dependence of the kernel on energy and the transformation from the reference system of the integral equation to that of the wave equation are considered. Extensions to three-dimensional problems and to many nuclear particles are discussed and some characteristic differences from the one-dimensional case are pointed out. The presence of more than one tunnelling factor in the general case and the participation of tongues or tentacles in configuration space which correspond to the temporary formation of nuclear aggregates such as deuterons or alpha particles are considered.