Level spacing statistics and spectral correlations in the diffuse van der Waals clusters

Abstract

We present a statistical analysis of eigenenergies and discuss several measures of spectral fluctuations and spectral correlations for the van der Waals clusters of different sizes. We show that the clusters become more and more complex with increase in cluster size. We study nearest-neighbour level spacing distribution $P(s)$, the level number variance $Σ^2(L)$, and the Dyson-Mehta $Δ_3-$statistics for various cluster sizes. For large clusters we find that although the Bohigas-Giannoni-Schmit (BGS) conjecture seems to be valid, it does not exhibit true signatures of quantum chaos. However contrasting conjecture of Berry and Tabor is observed with smaller cluster size. For small number of bosons, we observe the existence of large number of quasi-degenerate states in low-lying excitation which exhibits the Shnirelman peak in $P(s)$ distribution. We also find a narrow region of intermediate spectrum which can be described by semi-Poisson statistics whereas the higher levels are regular and exhibit Poisson statistics. These observations are further supported by the analysis of the distribution of the ratio of consecutive level spacings $P(r)$ which is independent of unfolding procedure and thereby provides a tool for more transparent comparison with experimental findings than $P(s)$. Thus our detail numerical study clearly shows that the van der Waals clusters become more correlated with the increase in cluster size.