Abstract
Localized regions of intense large-scale radiofrequency field are known to act like effective (“ponderomotiveâ€) potential barriers, which scatter particles elastically and in the direction determined by the particle initial velocity rather than phase. In smaller-scale fields, transmission through a ponderomotive barrier is probabilistic and resembles tunneling of a quantum particle through a static potential. We derive asymptotic expressions for the phase-averaged transmission coefficient T as a function of the particle energy E0. We show that, unlike for a truly quantum particle, T (E0) is of algebraic form and has a threshold, below which transmission does not occur. We also find a threshold in E0, above which all particles are transmitted regardless of their initial phase.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 056404 |
Journal | Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics |
Volume | 74 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2006 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
- Statistics and Probability