Quantum-correlated fluctuations, phonon-induced bond polarization, enhanced tunneling, and low-energy nuclear reactions in condensed matter

Abstract

In heavily (deuterated or hydrogenated) palladium, some of the crystallinity is lost. As a consequence, the localized phonon modes of the crystal/damaged-region interface have a much higher frequency than the host. These high-frequency modes create electrostatic fields that interact strongly with electrons of the local atoms. A resulting instantaneous potential inversion, from polarization, leads to the formation of lochons (local charged bosons–electron pairs in the singlet state, perhaps isolated from the Pd d-orbital energy levels) and of an associated H⁺ or D⁺ ion (with its two shared electrons instantaneously isolated into the adjacent Pd d-levels). The Coulomb repulsion between the nuclei of these pairs is greatly reduced by strong screening from the lochons that can even generate an attractive polarization potential. Furthermore, the mutual tunneling penetration probability of the Coulomb barrier is enhanced by correlated fluctuations. This arises from the generalized uncertainty relations, Δx Δp_x Δ E Δt ≥ (n+ 1/2)h /(1-ρ²)^0.5, where n may be on the order of 10–100 and where results from two models are combined. The integer n values represent excitations in the phonon modes of the H or D sub-lattice and ρ is the correlation coefficient with 0 < ρ < 1. Higher values of n and ρ , for a particle in a potential well, imply less localization and greater uncertainties in location (i.e., extending its probability distribution further into the barrier). These periodic fluctuations into the barrier are an interference effect similar to that of beat frequencies.