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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators
Published on: April 4, 2016
Quantum corral resonance widths: lossy scattering as acoustics.
Matthew C Barr1, Michael P Zaletel, Eric J Heller
1Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. barr@fas.harvard.edu
We developed a new method to predict electron lifetimes in quantum corrals using acoustics. This approach accurately models electron resonance widths in nanostructures by adapting the Sabine formula for reverberation time.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Predicting electron resonance widths in quantum corrals is challenging.
- Existing methods like multiple scattering theory are computationally intensive.
- Particle-in-a-box models predict energy levels but not resonance widths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, intuitive method for predicting electron resonance widths in quantum corrals.
- To establish an analogy between quantum mechanical systems and acoustic phenomena.
- To provide a compact prescription for calculating electron lifetimes in nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- An analogy was drawn between the local density of states in quantum corrals and acoustic impedance.
- The Sabine formula for acoustic reverberation times was adapted.
- The approach was applied to nanoscopic structures of arbitrary convex shape.
Main Results:
- Electron lifetimes in quantum corrals were accurately predicted using the adapted Sabine formula.
- The method accounts for extrinsic finite lifetimes in particle-in-a-box models with leaky walls.
- The approach is applicable to quantum corrals formed by atomic walls.
Conclusions:
- Acoustic analogies provide a powerful tool for understanding quantum phenomena.
- The Sabine formula offers a compact and intuitive method for predicting electron lifetimes.
- This work simplifies the calculation of resonance widths in nanostructures.
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