David FarrellyDavid Farrelly

Professor
Physical Chemistry
B.Sc., 1977, University of Manchester, UK
Ph.D., 1980, University of Manchester, UK
435.797.1608 David.Farrelly@usu.edu
web page

My research is in theoretical chemical physics and is primarily directed to studying the dynamics of microscopic and mesoscopic systems (e.g., quantum dots) in the classical limit of quantum mechanics, i. e., when h is small. Examples of such systems are ultrahigh atomic and molecular Rydberg states and electrons in quantum dots, sometimes called artificial atoms. The sensitivity of these systems to external electric and/or magnetic fields makes them ideal candidates to study the dynamical effects of symmetry-breaking perturbations. Practical applications include ZEKE spectroscopy that relies on the preparation and stabilization of ultrahigh Rydberg molecules (principle quantum number n _ 200) and the development of quantum electronics in which the wavelength and localization of individual electrons in a quantum dot need to be controlled. These systems all exist at the boundary of quantum and classical mechanics and display a range of novel dynamical properties such as chaos and Arnold diffusion. We investigate these systems using a variety of theoretical and numerical methods ranging from classical trajectory simulations to direct integration of the time dependent Schrödinger equation. A good review of work in this area is contained in an article in Science (vol. 273, p. 307, 1996) that features some of our research. The titles in the following list of publications provide an overview of some of our recent research activities.

Selected Publications

C. Jaffe, D. Farrelly, and T. Uzer, Transition State Theory without Time-Reversal Symmetry: Chaotic Inonization of the Hydrogen Atom, Phys. Rev. Lett., 84, 610 (2000).

T. Uzer, E. Lee, D. Farrelly, and A. Brunello, Synthesis of a Classical Atom; Wavepacket analogues of the Trojan ateroids, Contemporary Physics, 41, 1 (2000).

From Asteroids to Atoms; Quantum Wavepackets and the Restricted Three-Body Problem of Celestial Mechanics, in The Physics and Chemistry of Wavepackets, ed. J.A. Yeazell (Wiley, New York, 2000) pp. 95-130.

E.A. Lee, D. Farrelly and T. Uzer, Stabilization of Molecular Atoms, Faraday Disc., 115, 217 (2000).

A. Elipe, D. Farrelly and I. M. Wytrzyszczak, Phase space structure of the Penning trap with octupole perturbation, Phys. Rev. A., 65, 033423 (2002).

C. Chandre, D. Farrelly and T. Uzer, Thresholds to chaos and inoization of Rydberg atoms in rotating fields, Phys. Rev. A., 65, 053402 (2002).

C. Jaffe, S. Ross, M.W. Lo, J. Marsen, D. Farrelly and T. Uzer, Statistical theory of asteroid escape rates, Phys. Rev. Lett., 89, 011101 (2002).

D. Farrelly, E.A. Lee and T. Uzer, The classical atom: Stabilization of electronic Trojan wavepackets. Fortschr. Phys. 50, 636 (2002).

S. Astakhov, A. Burbanks, S. Wiggins and D. Farrelly, Chaos Assisted Capture of Irregular Moons Nature, 423, 264 (2003).

S. Astakhov, A. Burbanks, S. Wiggins and D. Farrelly, Dynamics of Capture in the Restricted Three-Body Problem, in Order and chaos in stellar and planetary systems, Astron. Soc. Pac. Conf. Series, pp. 80-85 CS-316, 2004

S. Astakhov, E. Lee, and D. Farrelly. Capture and escape in the elliptic restricted three-body problem. MNRAS, 354, 971 (2004).

S. Astakhov, E. Lee, and D. Farrelly. Formation of Kuiper-belt binaries through multiple chaotic scattering encounters with low-mass intruders. MNRAS, 360, 401 (2005).

M. Kalinski, L. Hansen, and D. Farrelly, Nondispersive two-electron wave packets in a helium atom. Phys. Rev. Lett., 95, 103001 (2005).

J.L. Cagide Fajin, B. Fernandez, A. Mikosz, and D. Farrelly. Accurate computations of the rovibrational spectrum of the He-HF van der Waals complex. Mol. Phys., (2006) in press.