Transient time-domain resonances and the time scale for tunneling

Abstract

Transient {\it time-domain resonances} found recently in time-dependent solutions to Schrödinger's equation are used to investigate the issue of the tunneling time in rectangular potential barriers. In general, a time frequency analysis shows that these transients have frequencies above the cutoff frequency associated with the barrier height, and hence correspond to non-tunneling processes. We find, however, a regime characterized by the barrier opacity, where the peak maximum $t_{max}$ of the {\it time-domain resonance} corresponds to under-the-barrier tunneling. We argue that $t_{max}$ represents the relevant tunneling time scale through the classically forbidden region.