We study the decay process of an unstable quantum system, especially the deviation from the exponential decay law. We show that the exponential period no longer exists in the case of the s-wave decay with small $Q$ value, where the $Q$ value is the difference between the energy of the initially prepared state and the minimum energy of the continuous eigenstates in the system. We also derive the quantitative condition that this kind of decay process takes place and discuss what kind of system is suitable to observe the decay.
We examine an analytical expression for the survival probability for the time evolution of quantum decay to discuss a regime where quantum decay is nonexponential at all times. We find that the interference between the exponential and nonexponential terms of the survival amplitude modifies the usual exponential decay regime in systems where the ratio of the resonance energy to the decay width, is less than 0.3. We suggest that such regime could be observed in semiconductor double-barrier resonant quantum structures with appropriate parameters.
By using an exact analytical non-Hermitian approach in terms of resonance (quasinormal) states we express the decaying wave function as the sum of exponential and nonexponential decaying solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We show that the exponential-nonexponential transition of decay at long times represents physically a process of interference in time domain of the decaying particle with itself.
We analyze the temporal behavior of the survival probability of an unstable $^6$Li Feshbach molecule close to the BCS-BEC crossover. We find different instances of nonexponential decay as the magnetic field approaches the resonance value, at which the molecule becomes stable. We observe a transition from an exponential decay towards a regime dominated by a stretched-exponential law.
We study the properties of the survival probability of an unstable quantum state described by a Lee Hamiltonian. This theoretical approach resembles closely Quantum Field Theory (QFT): one can introduce in a rather simple framework the concept of propagator and Feynman rules, Within this context, we re-derive (in a detailed and didactical way) the well-known result according to which the amplitude of the survival probability is the Fourier transform of the energy distribution (or spectral function) of the unstable state (in turn, the energy distribution is proportional to the imaginary part of…
By using an exact analytical approach to the time evolution of decay we investigate the tunneling decay of ultracold single atoms, to discuss the conditions for deviations of the exponential decay law. We find that $R$, given by the ratio of the energy of the decaying fragment $\mathcal{E}_r$ to its corresponding width $Γ_r$, is the relevant quantity in this study. When $R$ is less than $0.3$ the decay of the atom goes to a good approximation for the first few lifetimes as $\exp(-Γ_rt/2\hbar)t^{-3/2}$. We also find that for values of $R \sim 1$, the nonexponential behavior occurs in a post-exp…
An unstable quantum state generally decays following an exponential law, as environmental decoherence is expected to prevent the decay products from recombining to reconstruct the initial state. Here we show the existence of deviations from exponential decay in open quantum systems under very general conditions. Our results are illustrated with the exact dynamics under quantum Brownian motion and suggest an explanation of recent experimental observations.
We study isolated finite interacting quantum systems after an instantaneous perturbation and show three scenarios in which the probability for finding the initial state later in time (fidelity) decays nonexponentially, often all the way to saturation. The decays analyzed involve Gaussian, Bessel of the first kind, and cosine squared functions. The Gaussian behavior emerges in systems with two-body interactions in the limit of strong perturbation. The Bessel function, associated with the evolution under full random matrices, is obtained with surprisingly sparse random matrices. The cosine squar…
In quantum optics, light-matter interaction has conventionally been studied using small atoms interacting with electromagnetic fields with wavelength several orders of magnitude larger than the atomic dimensions. In contrast, here we experimentally demonstrate the vastly different giant atom regime, where an artificial atom interacts with acoustic fields with wavelength several orders of magnitude smaller than the atomic dimensions. This is achieved by coupling a superconducting qubit to surface acoustic waves at two points with separation on the order of 100 wavelengths. This approach is comp…
S. Longhi [1] studied the survival probability P(t) of an unstable state coupled to a tight-binding lattice finding an exact analytical solution that describes the nonexponential decay. When the first coupling is smaller than the others, he shows that P(t) has a natural decomposition into two terms; one is the exponential decay, consistent with the Gamow's approach, and the other is the correction to this decay. The first purpose of this Comment is to show that the condition imposed on the system; the site energy of the first site is set in the center of the band, limits the generality of the …
An effect generated by the nonexponential behavior of the survival amplitude of an unstable state at the long time region is considered. It is known that this amplitude tends to zero as $t$ goes to the infinity more slowly than any exponential function of $t$. Using methods of asymptotic analysis we find the asymptotic form of this amplitude in the long time region in a general model independent case. We find that the long time behavior of this amplitude affects the form of the energy of unstable states: This energy should be much smaller for suitably long times $t$ than the energy of this sta…
We study the decay properties of Tonks-Girardeau gases escaping from a double-well potential. Initially, the gases are constrained between two infinite $δ$ barriers with an on-center $δ$-split potential. The strength of one of the obstacles is suddenly reduced, and the particles start to tunnel to the open space. Using the resonance expansion method, we derive the single-term approximate expression for the $N$-particle survival probability and demonstrate its effectiveness in both the exponential and nonexponential regimes. We also predict a parity effect and provide physical insights into its…
An effect generated by the nonexponential behavior of the survival amplitude of an unstable state in the long time region is considered. In 1957 Khalfin proved that this amplitude tends to zero as $t\to\infty$ more slowly than any exponential function of $t$. For a time-dependent decay rate $γ(t)$ Khalfin's result means that this $γ(t)$ is not a constant for large $t$ but that it tends to zero as $t\to\infty$. We find that a similar conclusion can be drawn for the instantaneous energy of the unstable state for a large class of models of unstable states: This energy tends to the minimal energy …
An analytical solution for the time evolution of decay of two identical non interacting quantum particles seated initially within a potential of finite range is derived using the formalism of resonant states. It is shown that the wave function, and hence also the survival and nonescape probabilities, for factorized symmetric and entangled symmetric/antisymmetric initial states evolve in a distinctive form along the exponentially decaying and nonexponential regimes. Our findings show the influence of the Pauli exclusion principle on decay. We exemplify our results by solving exactly the s-wave …
An analytical solution to the time evolution of decay of one and two identical noninteracting particles is presented using the formalism of resonant states. It is shown that the time-dependent wave function and hence the survival and nonescape probabilities for the initial state of a single particle and entangled symmetric and antisymmetric initial states of two identical particles evolve in a distinctive form along the exponential and long-time nonexponential decaying regimes. In particular, for the last regime, they exhibit different inverse power of time behaviors.
Because of the extreme smallness of the energy spread of the unstable state describing the decaying proton, due in its turn to the anomalous smallness of the resonance width expected for the proton decay, the application of the Heisenberg time-energy relation predicts the measurement times for the proton decay observation to be so long as to forbid a "continuous" observation of the decay. This might account for the missing observation of the proton decay.
We consider an effect generated by the nonexponential behavior of the survival amplitude of an unstable state in the long time region: In 1957 Khalfin proved that this amplitude tends to zero as $t$ goes to the infinity more slowly than any exponential function of $t$. This effect can be described in terms of time-dependent decay rate $γ(t)$ and then the Khalfin result means that this $γ(t)$ is not a constant for long times but that it tends to zero as $t$ goes to the infinity. It appears that a similar conclusion can be drawn for the energy of the unstable state for a large class of models of…
The exact quantum decay of a one-dimensional Bose gas with inverse-square interactions is presented. The system is equivalent to a gas of particles obeying generalized exclusion statistics. We consider the expansion dynamics of a cloud initially confined in a harmonic trap that is suddenly switched off. The decay is characterized by analyzing the fidelity between the initial and the time-evolving states, also known as the survival probability. It exhibits early on a quadratic dependence on time that turns into a power-law decay, during the course of the evolution. It is shown that the particle…
We apply the Leggett-Garg inequalities (LGI) to the case of classical and quantum unstable systems. For classical systems the two assumptions of macroscopic realism and non-invasive measurements imply that the three-measurement string $K_3$ is identically equal to one. Also for quantum mechanical systems -- for which the two assumptions are in general not valid -- we find that $K_3=1$ for purely exponential decays ($K_3\leq1$ is the general LGI). On the other hand, the necessary deviations from the exponential decay law at short and long times predicted by quantum mechanics lead to values of $…
We develop a theory describing the dynamics of quantum kicked rotators (modelling cold atoms in a pulsed optical field) which are subjected to combined amplitude and timing noise generated by a renewal process (acting as an engineered reservoir). For waiting-time distributions of variable exponent (Lévy noise), we demonstrate the existence of a regime of nonexponential loss of phase coherence. In this regime, the momentum dynamics is subdiffusive, which also manifests itself in a non-Gaussian limiting distribution and a fractional power-law decay of the inverse participation ratio. The purity …
After reviewing the description of an unstable state in the framework of Lee Hamiltonians (valid both for Quantum Mechanics (QM) and Quantum Field Theory (QFT)), we consider some theoretical aspects of non-exponential decays: the case of two decay channels, the broadening of the energy spectrum at short times, the effect of an imperfect measurement, the link to QFT, and the decay of an unstable moving particle with definite momentum. All the presented effects were not confirmed in experiments, hence are at the present stage predictions.
We study the decay of unstable states by formulating quantum tunneling as a time-of-arrival problem: we determine the detection probability for particles at a detector located a distance L from the tunneling region. For this purpose, we use a Positive-Operator-Valued-Measure (POVM) for the time-of-arrival determined in quant-ph/0509020 [JMP 7, 122106 (2006)]. This only depends on the initial state, the Hamiltonian and the location of the detector. The POVM above provides a well-defined probability density and an unambiguous interpretation of all quantities involved. We demonstrate that the exp…
We study the short-time and medium-time behavior of the survival probability in the frame of the $N$-level Friedrichs model. The time evolution of an arbitrary unstable initial state is determined. We show that the survival probability may oscillate significantly during the so-called exponential era. This result explains qualitatively the experimental observations of the NaI decay.
We discuss deviations from the exponential decay law which originate when going beyond the Breit-Wigner distribution for an unstable state. In particular, we concentrate on an oscillating behavior, reminiscent of the Rabi-oscillations, in the short-time region. We propose that these oscillations can explain the GSI experiment, which measured superimposed oscillations on top of the exponential law for hydrogen-like nuclides decaying via electron-capture (the so-called GSI anomaly). Moreover, we discuss the possibility, that the deviations from the Breit-Wigner distribution in the case of the GS…
The decay of a bound state weakly-coupled to a non-Hermitian tight-binding unstable continuum, i.e. a continuum of states comprising energies with positive imaginary part, is theoretically investigated. As compared to quantum decay in an Hermitian continuum, in the non-Hermitian case a richer scenario can be found as a result of non-unitary dynamics. Different behaviors are observed depending on the kind of instability of the continuum. These include complete or fractional decay in convectively-unstable continua, the absence of quantum decay for a bound state with energy embedded in the contin…
We analyze the survival probability of unstable particles in the context of quantum field theory. After introducing the spectral function of resonances, we show that deviations from the exponential decay law occur at short times after the creation of the unstable particle. For hadronic decays, these deviations are sizable and could lead to observable effects.
It is well known, both theoretically and experimentally, that the survival probability for an unstable quantum state, formed at $t=0,$ is not a simple exponential function, even if the latter is a good approximation for intermediate times. Typically, unstable quantum states/particles can decay in more than a single decay channel. In this work, the general expression for the probability that an unstable state decays into a certain $i$-th channel between the initial time $t=0$ and an arbitrary $t>0$ is provided, both for nonrelativistic quantum states and for relativistic particles. These partia…
The role played by Time in the quantum theory is still mysterious by many aspects. In particular it is not clear today whether the distribution of decay times of unstable particles could be described by a Time Operator. As we shall discuss, different approaches to this problem (one could say interpretations) can be found in the literature on the subject. As we shall show, it is possible to conceive crucial experiments aimed at distinguishing the different approaches, by measuring with accuracy the statistical distribution of decay times of entangled particles. Such experiments can be realized …
Under certain assumptions it is shown that the decay of level 2 of a three-level system onto level 1 is slowed down because of the further decay of level 1 onto level 0. It is argued that this phenomenon may be interpreted as a consequence of the quantum Zeno effect. The reason why this may be possible is that the second decay (or accompanying photon radiation) may be considered as a sign of the transition 2 -> 1 so that during the first transition the system is under continuous observation.
We study the decay law for a moving unstable particle. The usual time-dilatation formula states that the decay width for an unstable state moving with a momentum $p$ and mass $M$ is $\tildeΓ_{p}=ΓM/\sqrt{p^{2}+M^{2}}$ with $Γ$ being the decay width in the rest frame. In agreement with previous studies, we show that in the context of QM as well as QFT this equation is \textit{not} correct provided that the quantum measurement is performed in a reference frame in which the unstable particle has momentum $p$ (note, a momentum eigenstate is \textit{not} a velocity eigenstate in QM). We then give, …
The most unstable quantum states and elementary particles possess more than a single decay channel. At the same time, it is well known that typically the decay law is not simply exponential. Therefore, it is natural to ask how to spot the non-exponential decay when (at least) two decay channels are opened. In this work, we study the tunneling phenomenon of an initially localized particle in two spatially opposite directions through two different barriers, mimicking two decay channels. In this framework, through a specific quantum mechanical examples which can be accurately solved, we study gen…
The transformation of canonical decay laws of moving unstable quantum systems is studied by approximating, over intermediate times, the decay laws at rest with superpositions of exponential modes via the Prony analysis. The survival probability $\mathcal{P}_p(t)$, which is detected in the laboratory reference frame where the unstable system moves with constant linear momentum $p$, is represented by the transformed form $\mathcal{P}_0\left(φ_p(t)\right)$ of the survival probability at rest $\mathcal{P}_0(t)$. The transformation of the intermediate times, which is induced by the change of refere…
This paper is a pedagogical yet critical introduction to the quantum description of unstable systems, mostly at the level of a graduate quantum mechanics course. Quantum decays appear in many different fields of physics, and their description beyond the exponential approximation is the source of technical and conceptual challenges. In this article, we present both general methods that can be adapted to a large class of problems, and specific elementary models to describe phenomena like photo-emission, beta emission and tunneling-induced decays. We pay particular attention to the emergence of e…
The long time behavior of the reduced time evolution operator for unstable multilevel systems is studied based on the N-level Friedrichs model in the presence of a zero energy resonance.The latter means the divergence of the resolvent at zero energy. Resorting to the technique developed by Jensen and Kato [Duke Math. J. 46, 583 (1979)], the zero energy resonance of this model is characterized by the zero energy eigenstate that does not belong to the Hilbert space. It is then shown that for some kinds of the rational form factors the logarithmically slow decay of the reduced time evolution oper…
The relativistic quantum decay laws of moving unstable particles are analyzed for a general class of mass distribution densities which behave as power laws near the (non-vanishing) lower bound $μ_0$ of the mass spectrum. The survival probability $\mathcal{P}_p(t)$, the instantaneous mass $M_p(t)$ and the instantaneous decay rate $Γ_p(t)$ of the moving unstable particle are evaluated over short and long times for an arbitrary value $p$ of the (constant) linear momentum. The ultrarelativistic and non-relativistic limits are studied. Over long times, the survival probability $\mathcal{P}_p(t)$ is…
We consider a model of a unstable state defined by the truncated Breit-Wigner energy density distribution function. An analytical form of the survival amplitude $a(t)$ of the state considered is found. Our attention is focused on the late time properties of $a(t)$ and on effects generated by the non--exponential behavior of this amplitude in the late time region: In 1957 Khalfin proved that this amplitude tends to zero as $t$ goes to the infinity more slowly than any exponential function of $t$. This effect can be described using a time-dependent decay rate $γ(t)$ and then the Khalfin result m…
Decay laws of moving unstable quantum systems with oscillating decay rates are analyzed over intermediate times. The transformations of the decay laws at rest and of the intermediate times at rest, which are induced by the change of reference frame, are obtained by decomposing the modulus of the survival amplitude at rest into purely exponential and exponentially damped oscillating modes. The mass distribution density is considered to be approximately symmetric with respect to the mass of resonance. Under determined conditions, the modal decay widths at rest, $Γ_j$, and the modal frequencies o…
Brownian motion is modelled by a harmonic oscillator (Brownian particle) interacting with a continuous set of uncoupled harmonic oscillators. The interaction is linear in the coordinates and the momenta. The model has an analytical solution that is used to study the time evolution of the reduced density operator. It is derived in a closed form, in the one-particle sector of the model. The irreversible behavior of the Brownian particle is described by a reduced density matrix.
We report the first observation of the Quantum Zeno and Anti-Zeno effects in an unstable system. Cold sodium atoms are trapped in a far-detuned standing wave of light that is accelerated for a controlled duration. For a large acceleration the atoms can escape the trapping potential via tunneling. Initially the number of trapped atoms shows strong non-exponential decay features, evolving into the characteristic exponential decay behavior. We repeatedly measure the number of atoms remaining trapped during the initial period of non-exponential decay. Depending on the frequency of measurements we …
We present a quantum field theoretical derivation of the nondecay probability of an unstable particle with nonzero three-momentum $\mathbf{p}$. To this end, we use the (fully resummed) propagator of the unstable particle, denoted as $S,$ to obtain the energy probability distribution, called $d_{S}^{\mathbf{p} }(E)$, as the imaginary part of the propagator. The nondecay probability amplitude of the particle $S$ with momentum $\mathbf{p}$ turns out to be, as usual, its Fourier transform: $a_{S}^{\mathbf{p}}(t)=\int_{\sqrt{m_{th} ^{2}+\mathbf{p}^{2}}}^{\infty}dEd_{S}^{\mathbf{p}}(E)e^{-iEt}$ ($m_…
Deviations of the decay law from exponents are discussing for a long time, however, experimental proofs of such deviations are absent. Here in the general form is shown that the conclusions about non-exponential contributions are due to the disregarding of advanced interactions, i.e. at principally non-relativistic considerations. We consider decay processes in the frame of interactions duration of the quantum field theory. We show that at this basis the usual exponential decay has place.
If an unstable particle used in a two-path interference experiment decays before reaching a detector, which-way information becomes available which reduces the detected interference fringe visibility ${\cal V}$. Here we argue that even when an unstable particle does {\em not} decay while in the interferometer, {\em a priori} which-way information is still available in the form of path predictability ${\cal P}$ which depends on the particle's decay rate $Γ$. We further demonstrate that in a matter-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer using an excited atom with an appropriately tuned cavity, ${\cal …
After reviewing the description of an unstable state in the framework of nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics (QM) and relativistic Quantum Field Theory (QFT), we consider the effect of pulsed, ideal measurements repeated at equal time intervals on the lifetime of an unstable system. In particular, we investigate the case in which the `bare' survival probability is an exact exponential (a very good approximation in both QM and QFT), but the measurement apparatus can detect the decay products only in a certain energy range. We show that the Quantum Zeno Effect can occur in this framework as well.
Relativistic quantum theory shows that the known Einstein time dilation (ED) approximately holds for the decay law of the unstable particle having definite momentum p (DP). I use a different definition of the moving particle as the state with definite velocity v (DV). It is shown that in this case the decay law is not dilated. On the contrary, it is contracted as compared with the decay law of the particle at rest. It is demonstrated that ED fails in both DP and DV cases for time evolution of the simple unstable system of the kind of oscillating neutrino. Experiments are known which show that …
We present a detailed non-perturbative analysis of the time-evolution of a well-known quantum-mechanical system - a particle between potential walls - describing the decay of unstable states. For sufficiently high barriers, corresponding to unstable particles with large lifetimes, we find an exponential decay for intermediate times, turning into an asymptotic power decay. We explicitly compute such power terms in time as a function of the coupling in the model. The same behavior is obtained with a repulsive as well as with an attractive potential, the latter case not being related to any tunne…
The decay of a moving system is studied in case the system is initially prepared in a two-mass unstable quantum state. The survival probability $\mathcal{P}_p(t)$ is evaluated over short and long times in the reference frame where the unstable system moves with constant linear momentum $p$. The mass distribution densities of the two mass states are tailored as power laws with powers $α_1$ and $α_2$ near the non-vanishing lower bounds $μ_{0,1}$ and $μ_{0,2}$ of the mass spectra, respectively. If the powers $α_1$ and $α_2$ differ, the long-time survival probability $\mathcal{P}_p(t)$ exhibits a …
We discuss a simple and analytically solvable measurement model which describes the famous Quantum Zeno Effect (QZE) and Inverse Zeno Effect (IZE), that correspond to the slow down and to the increase of the decay rate caused by measurements (or, more in general, by the interaction of an unstable state with the detector and the environment). Within this model one can understand quite general features of the QZE and IZE: by considering an unstable quantum state, such as an unstable particle, whose decay width as function of energy is $Γ(ω)=g^{2}ω^α,$ then -- under quite general assumptions -- t…
We analyze the Zeno phenomenon in quantum field theory. The decay of an unstable system can be modified by changing the time interval between successive measurements (or by varying the coupling to an external system that plays the role of measuring apparatus). We speak of quantum Zeno effect if the decay is slowed and of inverse quantum Zeno (or Heraclitus) effect if it is accelerated. The analysis of the transition between these two regimes requires close scrutiny of the features of the interaction Hamiltonian. We look in detail at quantum field theoretical models of the Lee type.
We theoretically propose a scheme for verification of quantum Zeno effect (QZE) to suppress a decay process with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Nuclear spins are affected by low frequency noise, and so one can naturally observe non-exponential decay behavior, which is prerequisite in observing QZE. We also describe that a key component for QZE, namely measurements on the nuclear spin, can be realized with NMR in the current technology
We study the survival probability of moving relativistic unstable particles with definite momentum $\vec{p} \neq 0$. The amplitude of the survival probability of these particles is calculated using its integral representation. We found decay curves of such particles for the quantum mechanical models considered. These model studies show that late time deviations of the survival probability of these particles from the exponential form of the decay law, that is the transition times region between exponential and non-expo\-nen\-tial form of the survival probability, should occur much earlier than …
There is persistent heterodoxy in the physics literature concerning the proper treatment of those quantons that are unstable against spontaneous decay. Following a brief litany of this heterodoxy, I develop some of the consequences of assuming that such quantons can exist, undecayed and isolated, at definite times and that their treatment can be carried out within a standard quantum theoretic state space. This assumption requires hyperplane dependence for the unstable quanton states and leads to clarification of some recent results concerning deviations from relativistic time dilation of decay…
We present the probability preserving description of the decaying particle within the framework of quantum mechanics of open systems taking into account the superselection rule prohibiting the superposition of the particle and vacuum. In our approach the evolution of the system is given by a family of completely positive trace preserving maps forming one-parameter dynamical semigroup. We give the Kraus representation for the general evolution of such systems which allows one to write the evolution for systems with two or more particles. Moreover, we show that the decay of the particle can be r…
For over a decade several workers have argued for the existence of quantum deviations from the classical, Einstein dilation of the decay evolution of moving or Lorentz boosted unstable particles. While the general claim is correct, the discussions have been incomplete and, sometimes, misleading. The discussions have been of three kinds. Type 1 examines the time dependence of the survival probability for 3-momentum eigenstates of the unstable quanton (Khalfin). Type 2 does the same for velocity eigenstates, obtaining an outrageous result which then discredits velocity eigenstates (Shirokov / He…
We use spectral projections of time operator in the Liouville space for simple quantum scattering systems in order to define a space of unstable particle states evolving under a contractive semi-group. This space includes purely exponentially decaying states that correspond to complex eigenvalues of this semi-group. The construction provides a probabilistic interpretation of the resonant states characterized in terms of the Hardy class.
We investigate the emergence of oscillations in the decay law of unstable systems. We discuss in particular the case of the so-called GSI anomaly seen in the electron capture decays of H-like ions and prove that such oscillations cannot be explained by neutrino oscillations. We then discuss how such anomalies could be intimately related to the decay law of unstable systems in the case in which their spectral function deviates from a Breit-Wigner shape.
In relativity, there is no absolute notion of simultaneity, because two clocks that are in different places can always be desynchronized by a Lorentz boost. Here, we explore the implications of this effect for the quantum theory of unstable particles. We show that, when a wavefunction is boosted, its tails travel one to the past and the other to the future. As a consequence, in the new frame of reference, the particle is in a quantum superposition "decayed + non decayed", where the property "decayed-ness" is entangled with the position. Since a particle cannot be localised in a region smaller …
We discuss the relation between the quantum-mechanical survival probability of an unstable system in motion and that of the system at rest. The usual definition of the survival probability which takes into account only the time evolution of an unstable system leads to a relation between the survival probability of the system in motion and that of the system at rest which is different from the standard relation based on relativistic time dilation. This approach led other authors to claim non-standard quantum-mechanical effects which are in clear contradiction with Special Relativity. We show th…
Quantum dissipation in thermal environment is investigated, using the path integral approach. The reduced density matrix of the harmonic oscillator system coupled to thermal bath of oscillators is derived for arbitrary spectrum of bath oscillators. Time evolution and the end point of two-body decay of unstable particles is then elucidated: After early transient times unstable particles undergo the exponential decay, followed by the power law decay and finally ending in a mixed state of residual particles containing contributions from both on and off the mass shell, whose abundance does not suf…
