Decay of a nonlinear impurity in a structured continuum from a nonlinear Fano-Anderson model

The decay dynamics of a nonlinear impurity mode embedded in a linear structured continuum is theoretically investigated in the framework of a nonlinear Fano-Anderson model. A gradient flow dynamics for the survival probability is derived in the Van Hove (λ2t) limit by a multiple-scale asymptotic analysis, and the role of nonlinearity on the decay law is discussed. In particular, it is shown that the existence of bound states embedded in the continuum acts as transient trapping states which slow down the decay. The dynamical behavior predicted in the λ2t limit is studied in detail for a simple tight-binding one-dimensional lattice model, which may describe electron or photon transport in condensed matter or photonic systems. Numerical simulations of the underlying equations confirm, in particular, the trapping effect in the decay process due to bound states embedded in the continuum