Paper detail

Catalytic mechanism of LENR in quasicrystals based on localized anharmonic vibrations and phasons

Quasicrystals (QCs) are a novel form of matter, which are neither crystalline nor amorphous. Among many surprising properties of QCs is their high catalytic activity. We propose a mechanism explaining this peculiarity based on unusual dynamics of atoms at special sites in QCs, namely, localized anharmonic vibrations (LAVs) and phasons. In the former case, one deals with a large amplitude (~ fractions of an angstrom) time-periodic oscillations of a small group of atoms around their stable positions in the lattice, known also as discrete breathers, which can be excited in regular crystals as well as in QCs. On the other hand, phasons are a specific property of QCs, which are represented by very large amplitude (~angstrom) oscillations of atoms be-tween two quasi-stable positions determined by the geometry of a QC. Large amplitude atomic motion in LAVs and phasons results in time-periodic driving of adjacent potential wells occupied by hydrogen ions (protons or deuterons) in case of hydrogenated QCs. This driving may result in the increase of amplitude and energy of zero-point vibrations (ZPV). Based on that, we demonstrate a drastic increase of the D-D or D-H fusion rate with increasing number of modulation periods evaluated in the framework of Schwinger model, which takes into account suppression of the Coulomb barrier due to lattice vibrations. In this context, we present numerical solution of Schrodinger equation for a particle in a non-stationary double well potential, which is driven time-periodically imitating the action of a LAV or phason. We show that the rate of tunneling of the particle through the potential barrier separating the wells is enhanced drastically by the driving, and it increases strongly with increasing amplitude of the driving. These results support the concept of nuclear catalysis in QCs that can take place at special sites provided by their inherent topology.