Behind the Paper

A Universal Scaling Law for Quantum Tunneling and Isotope Effects

Quantum tunneling allows particles to cross barriers classically forbidden. We show a universal law: tunneling decreases exponentially with the square root of isotope mass, explaining strong hydrogen–deuterium effects across physics, chemistry, and biology.

Published in Physics

Go to the profile of Krishna Kingkar Pathak pathak
Krishna Kingkar Pathak pathak
Associate Professor, Arya Vidyapeeth College (Autonomous)
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This work establishes a universal nonlinear scaling law for quantum tunneling:
ln ΔE ∝ −√μ, where μ is the isotope mass. This simple relation explains why replacing hydrogen with heavier isotopes like deuterium drastically suppresses tunneling rates.

Using both analytical modeling and numerical solutions of double-well systems, we show that this scaling holds across different potentials, dimensionalities, and even cooperative multi-particle tunneling processes. The results are further validated against molecular systems such as malonaldehyde and the formic acid dimer, demonstrating strong agreement with experimental trends.

Beyond molecular physics, this scaling law provides a unifying framework for understanding isotope effects in enzymatic catalysis, hydrogen-bonded systems, and biological quantum processes. It highlights how a single nonlinear principle can bridge physics, chemistry, and biology.

👉 Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2025.117737

Go to the profile of Krishna Kingkar Pathak pathak
Krishna Kingkar Pathak pathak
Associate Professor, Arya Vidyapeeth College (Autonomous)

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