Classical spin contribution to the Tunnel Effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates how classical models of spinning particles can contribute to tunneling phenomena, revealing that spin structure influences crossing probabilities even above certain energy thresholds, with comparisons to quantum tunneling.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed classical model of spinning particles and demonstrates their non-negligible contribution to tunneling, contrasting with quantum effects.

Findings

Spin contributes to crossing probabilities above a minimum energy.

Classical spin effects persist below the potential barrier top.

Results show qualitative agreement with quantum tunneling phenomena.

Abstract

Since the spin of real particles is of order of $\hbar$, it is difficult to distinguish in a quantum mechanical experiment involving spinning particles what part of the outcome is related to the spin contribution and what part is a pure quantum mechanical effect. We analyze in detail a classical model of a nonrelativistic spinning particle under the action of a potential barrier and compute numerically the crossing for different potentials. In this way it is shown that because of the spin structure there is a nonvanishing contribution to crossing for energies above a certain minimum value, even below the top of the potential barrier. Results are compared with the quantum tunnel effect.