kvanttunneldusele

Kvanttunneldusele is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where a particle can pass through a potential energy barrier even if it does not possess enough energy to overcome it classically. This effect arises from the wave-like nature of quantum particles, described by their wave function. The wave function does not abruptly drop to zero at the barrier but instead decays exponentially within it. If the barrier is not infinitely wide or high, there is a non-zero probability that the wave function will still have a non-zero amplitude on the other side, allowing the particle to "tunnel" through.

The probability of tunneling depends on several factors, including the mass of the particle, the height of the potential barrier, and the width of the barrier. Lighter particles and narrower, lower barriers increase the tunneling probability. This counterintuitive behavior has significant implications in various fields of physics and technology.

In astrophysics, quantum tunneling plays a role in nuclear fusion within stars, where atomic nuclei overcome electrostatic repulsion to fuse. In solid-state physics, it is crucial for understanding the operation of many electronic devices, such as tunnel diodes, scanning tunneling microscopes (STM), and flash memory. The STM, for instance, utilizes the tunneling current between a sharp conducting tip and a sample surface to image surfaces at the atomic scale. Without quantum tunneling, many modern technologies would not be possible.