English

The quantum and classical Fano parameter $q$

Atomic Physics 2021-02-22 v2 Quantum Physics

Abstract

The Fano resonance has been a familiar and important feature in atomic and molecular physics for more than half a century. Typically, the combination of a discrete state with one or more continua results in an asymmetric peak in the ionization spectrum. The peak-shape, called the Fano profile, can be expressed by a simple formula derived by Fano in 1935. However, the interpretation of its characteristic parameter qq, which represents the asymmetry of the peak in the formula, is not necessarily intuitively transparent. The Fano resonance is not necessarily a quantum effect, but it is a manifestation of a certain physical mechanism in various systems, both quantum and classical. Through the derivation of qq from the known classical pictures with the classical coupled oscillator, we interpret the qq value with a geometrical view. And further, we introduce a complex valued qq parameter for the description of the resonance with a damped oscillator.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1810.00627,
  title  = {The quantum and classical Fano parameter $q$},
  author = {Masatomi Iizawa and Satoshi Kosugi and Fumihiro Koike and Yoshiro Azuma},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1810.00627},
  year   = {2021}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-23T04:24:09.008Z