Heriot-Watt Mathematics Report Series
HWM00-19, 10 Aug 2000

Analytical approach to the Davydov-Scott theory with on-site potential

Y Zolotaryuk and J C Eilbeck


Abstract

We propose an analytical approach to study the one-dimensional acoustic polaron model that includes an on-site external potential applied to each chain molecule. The key to the approach is an exact discrete solution for the chain deformation field given in terms of a (quasi)particle wavefunction. For this purpose we introduce a whole variety of polynomial series which resemble the Chebyshev polynomials. We call these series the hyperbolic Chebyshev polynomials. Using next a properly chosen discrete trial function for the wavefunction envelope, we obtain simple expressions for the variational energy of the system. Contrary to an isolated molecular chain, the polaron state (Davydov soliton) is shown to exist only for appropriate system parameters while the delocalized (exciton) state can always exist. As a result, the following three regimes can be specified for the chain with an on-site potential: (i) the polaron is a ground state and the exciton is a metastable state, (ii) the polaron is a metastable state and the exciton is a (delocalized) ground state, and (iii) the polaron state does not exist and only the exciton exists, being a ground state. Two characteristic dimensionless parameters are found in terms of which a criterion of existence of (stable and metastable) polaron states and their non-existence is formulated. Finally, pinning barrier for the Davydov soliton is found to vanish in a particular case of system parameters, resulting in a transparent regime of uniform propagation of the soliton with very small size.

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Publication

Y Zolotaryuk, J C Eilbeck , Analytical approach to the Davydov-Scott theory with on-site potential, Phys. Rev. B, 63, 054302-1 -, (2001).


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