Microscopic explanation of the compensation (Meyer-Neldel) rule

Abstract

We propose that the Meyer-Neldel compensation rule can be understood as arising naturally for assisted processes in which the energy for the process is much larger than that of a typical excitation. In this case, the total energy is provided by multiple excitations. The prefactor is then proportional to the number of ways of assembling these excitations. This number increases exponentially with the energy for the process, yielding the Meyer-Neldel rule.