# Quantum tunneling of composite object coupled with quantized radiation field

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how radiation fields influence quantum tunneling and superposition states of a composite object with dipole or quadrupole moments, revealing dissipation and decoherence effects.

## Contribution

It introduces a model analyzing the interplay between internal degrees of freedom, radiation coupling, and tunneling in composite quantum objects, highlighting dissipation and decoherence mechanisms.

## Key findings

- Radiation-induced dissipation suppresses tunneling in excited states.
- Radiation coupling causes decoherence of spatial superposition states.
- Internal degrees of freedom significantly affect quantum tunneling behavior.

## Abstract

We study quantum tunneling of a composite object, which has a dipole or quadrupole moment coupled with quantized (photon or gravitational) radiation field, through a {\delta} potential barrier. The dipole or quadrupole moment is represented by an oscillator in the relative coordinate of two constituent particles of the object. The center of mass degrees of freedom of the object is not directly coupled with the radiation field. However, we show that, for the object with the oscillator in the excited state, dissipation caused by the radiation field can suppress its quantum tunneling rate in the center of mass degrees of freedom. In addition, when the initial energy of its center of mass motion is similar to that of the excited state of the oscillator, a spatial superposition state of the object prepared by the barrier can decohere due to the radiation field. The main purpose of this article is to investigate how two different interplays (i) among the center of mass, the relative coordinate degrees of freedom and the potential barrier, and (ii) between the relative coordinate degrees of freedom and the radiation field, can affect the quantum tunneling and the creation of the spatial superposition state of the object. Our toy model can give insight into tests of quantum tunneling and quantum superposition of atoms or molecules with its dipole or quadrupole moment coupled with the radiation field.