On formation of long-living states

Abstract

The motion of a particle in a potential well is studied when the particle is attached to an infinite elastic string. This is generic with the problem of dissipative quantum mechanics investigated by Caldeira and Leggett (Ann. Phys. 149, 374 (1983). doi: 10.1016/0003-4916(83)90202-6 ). Besides the dissipative motion there is another scenario of interaction of the string with the particle attached. Stationary particle–string states exist with string deformations accompanying the particle. This is like polaronic states in solids. Our polaronic states in the well are non-decaying and have a continuous energy spectrum. These states may have a link to quantum electrodynamics.