South Korean Physicists Unveil Quantum Tunneling Dynamics

Researchers from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics have made a significant advancement in understanding electron behavior during quantum tunneling. Their study, published in *Physical Review Letters*, reveals that electrons can interact with atomic nuclei within the energy barrier, a process termed "under-the-barrier recollision" (UBR). This finding challenges previous assumptions that such interactions occur only after electrons exit the barrier. The discovery offers deeper insights into electron dynamics, potentially enhancing the development of semiconductors, quantum computers, and ultrafast lasers. Professor Dong Eon Kim from POSTECH emphasized the importance of this research in controlling electron behavior for future technological innovations.