The Non-Perturbative Quantum Nature of the Dislocation-Phonon Interaction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fully quantized dislocation field called 'dislon' to unify and resolve longstanding issues in dislocation-phonon interaction, including static vs. dynamic scattering and resonance phenomena.

Contribution

It presents a novel quantum framework that models phonons as quasi-phonons with renormalized energies and lifetimes, addressing unresolved problems in dislocation-phonon interactions.

Findings

Renormalized phonons have shifted energies and finite lifetimes.

Unified explanation of static and dynamic scattering.

Resolution of long-standing debates in the field.

Abstract

Despite the long history of dislocation-phonon interaction studies, there are many problems that have not been fully resolved during this development. These include an incompatibility between a perturbative approach and the long-range nature of a dislocation, the relation between static and dynamic scattering, and the nature of dislocation-phonon resonance. Here by introducing a fully quantized dislocation field, the "dislon"[1], a phonon is renormalized as a quasi-phonon, with shifted quasi-phonon energy, and accompanied by a finite quasi-phonon lifetime that is reducible to classical results. A series of outstanding legacy issues including those above can be directly explained within this unified phonon renormalization approach. In particular, a renormalized phonon naturally resolves the decades-long debate between dynamic and static dislocation-phonon scattering approaches.