We introduce a complex-extended continuum level density and apply it to one-dimensional scattering problems involving tunneling through finite-range potentials. We show that the real part of the density is proportional to a real “time shift” of the transmitted particle, while the imaginary part reflects the imaginary time of an instantonlike tunneling trajectory. We confirm these assumptions for several potentials using the complex scaling method. In particular, we show that stationary points of the potentials give rise to specific singularities of both real and imaginary densities which represent close analogues of excited-state quantum phase transitions in bound systems.

• Received 10 February 2020
• Accepted 16 June 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.020401