Many-particle quantum decay and trapping: The role of statistics and Fano resonances

The quantum decay of noninteracting many particles to a common continuum is theoretically investigated in the framework of a multilevel Friedrichs-Lee model, and the role of the particle statistics on the fractional decay and Fano resonances is highlighted. In particular it is shown that, according to the Pauli exclusion principle, fractional decay and trapping found for a single particle due to destructive quantum interference among different decay paths can be inhibited for fermions, but not for bosons. Examples are provided for the decay dynamics of electrons in quantum dots side-coupled to a quantum wire.