2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/50744The interaction of an electron with a polar molecule is shown to be the simplest realization of a quantum anomaly in a physical system. The existence of a critical dipole moment for electron capture and formation of anions, which has been confirmed experimentally and numerically, is derived. This phenomenon is a manifestation of the anomaly associated with quantum symmetry breaking of the classical scale invariance exhibited by the point-dipole interaction. Finally, analysis of symmetry breaking for this system is implemented within two different models: point dipole subject to an anomaly and finite dipole subject to explicit symmetry breaking.4 pagesHigh Energy Physics - TheoryHigh Energy Physics - PhenomenologyMathematical PhysicsAtomic PhysicsQuantum Physicstext