Minimal velocity estimates and soft mode bounds for the massless spin-boson model (Q2256015)

If an atom interacts with the quantized electromagnetic field, its excited state changes to the ground state and its excess energy is emitted as radiation. The concept of asymptotic completeness claims that, at infinite time, the combined state consists of the atom in its ground state and some free photons. Still, within the mathematical framework of spectral theory a proof of this large time behavior is still missing. The present paper extends the results of a previous paper of the authors [Ann. Henri Poincaré 14, No. 2, 253--311 (2013; Zbl 1266.81163)] by introducing a generalized version of the model and providing technical tools to prove asymptotic completeness for spin-boson (i.e. atom) models interacting with massless scalar bosons. The Hilbert space of the atom is assumed to be finite dimensional and the speed of free bosons to be constant. Bounds are given on the mean number of bosons within a finite ball. It is shown that this number tends to an asymptotic value as time tends to infinity. This paper contains many estimates that help to better understand the dynamics of charged particles and their radiation field.