Quantum Tunneling as Virtual Domain Excursion: Resolving Barrier Penetration Through Dual Regulator Framework
Eric Needham
This paper presents a finite, physical resolution of quantum tunneling within the Dual Regulator Framework, interpreting barrier penetration as a temporary excursion into the virtual domain rather than a paradoxical traversal of classically forbidden space. In this framework, particles encountering a potential barrier transition from the real domain (on-shell, position space, RG-regulated) into a virtual domain (off-shell, momentum space, Λφ-regulated), where position-space potentials are undefined. After traversing the barrier off-shell, particles re-emerge into the real domain on the opposite side. Energy conservation is preserved through finite energy–time uncertainty, without invoking nonphysical violations. The formalism yields a modified tunneling length scale and probability law, introducing a universal Λφ correction to standard WKB results. This leads to quantitative, testable predictions across multiple systems, including: alpha decay half-lives with sub-percent accuracy across the periodic table, scanning tunneling microscope current–distance relations with φ-harmonic structure, ammonia inversion frequency corrected by a (1 + Λφ/π) factor matching experiment, tunneling time saturation consistent with the Hartman effect and attosecond measurements. All results derive solely from the Trinity constants {π, φ, e} with zero adjustable parameters. The paper resolves the tunneling mystery by identifying tunneling as a finite, domain-limited physical process rather than a purely mathematical artifact. This work constitutes Paper IV in a planned sequence addressing foundational inconsistencies in quantum field theory, following finite resolutions of measurement, wave–particle duality, and entanglement. Licenses Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Internationa
•Jan 17, 2026•0 citations