Relativistic Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory (original) (raw)

Relativistic Quantum Mechanics and the Bohmian Interpretation

Foundations of Physics Letters, 2005

Conventional relativistic quantum mechanics, based on the Klein-Gordon equation, does not possess a natural probabilistic interpretation in configuration space. The Bohmian interpretation, in which probabilities play a secondary role, provides a viable interpretation of relativistic quantum mechanics. We formulate the Bohmian interpretation of many-particle wave functions in a Lorentz-covariant way. In contrast with the nonrelativistic case, the relativistic Bohmian interpretation may lead to measurable predictions on particle positions even when the conventional interpretation does not lead to such predictions.

Relativistic Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics

AIP Conference Proceedings, 2006

I present a relativistic covariant version of the Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics and discuss the corresponding measurable predictions. The covariance is incoded in the fact that the nonlocal quantum potential transforms as a scalar, which is a consequence of the fact that the nonlocal wave function transforms as a scalar. The measurable predictions that can be obtained with the deterministic Bohmian interpretation cannot be obtained with the conventional interpretation simply because the conventional probabilistic interpretation does not work in the case of relativistic quantum mechanics.

Quantum Mechanics as a Classical Theory II: Relativistic Theory

2008

In this article, the axioms presented in the first one are reformulated according to the special theory of relativity. Using these axioms, quantum mechanic’s relativistic equations are obtained in the presence of electromagnetic fields for both the density function and the probability amplitude. It is shown that, within the present theory’s scope, Dirac’s second order equation should be considered the fundamental one in spite of the first order equation. A relativistic expression is obtained for the statistical potential. Axioms are again altered and made compatible with the general theory of relativity. These postulates, together with the idea of the statistical potential, allow us to obtain a general relativistic quantum theory for ensembles composed of single particle systems. 1

Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory

Physical Review Letters, 2004

We discuss a recently proposed extension of Bohmian mechanics to quantum field theory. For more or less any regularized quantum field theory there is a corresponding theory of particle motion, which in particular ascribes trajectories to the electrons or whatever sort of particles the quantum field theory is about. Corresponding to the nonconservation of the particle number operator in the quantum field theory, the theory describes explicit creation and annihilation events: the world lines for the particles can begin and end.

Bohmian particle trajectories in relativistic quantum field theory

arXiv (Cornell University), 2002

After explaining why the negative densities and superluminal velocities that appear in the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation of bosonic relativistic quantum mechanics do not lead to inconsistencies, we study particle trajectories in bosonic quantum field theory. A new continuously changing hidden variable - the effectivity of a particle (a number between 0 and 1) - leads to a causal description of the processes of particle creation and destruction. When the field enters one of nonoverlapping wave-functional packets with a definite number of particles, then the effectivity of the particles corresponding to this packet is 1, while that of all other particles is 0.

Bohmian Particle Trajectories in Relativistic Fermionic Quantum Field Theory

Foundations of Physics Letters, 2005

The de Broglie-Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory is generalized in such a way that it describes trajectories of relativistic fermionic particles and antiparticles and provides a causal description of the processes of their creation and destruction. A general method of causal interpretation of quantum systems is developed and applied to a causal interpretation of fermionic quantum field theory represented by c-number valued wave functionals.

Bohmian Particle Trajectories in Relativistic Bosonic Quantum Field Theory

Foundations of Physics Letters, 2000

The de Broglie-Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory is generalized in such a way that it describes trajectories of relativistic fermionic particles and antiparticles and provides a causal description of the processes of their creation and destruction. A general method of causal interpretation of quantum systems is developed and applied to a causal interpretation of fermionic quantum field theory represented by c-number valued wave functionals.

Bohmian mechanics in relativistic quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and string theory

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2007

I present a short overview of my recent achievements on the Bohmian interpretation of relativistic quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and string theory. This includes the relativistic-covariant Bohmian equations for particle trajectories, the problem of particle creation and destruction, the Bohmian interpretation of fermionic fields and the intrinsically Bohmian quantization of fields and strings based on the De Donder-Weyl covariant canonical formalism.

Quantum relativity theory and quantum space-time

International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 1984

A quantum relativity theory formulated in terms of Davis' quantum relativity principle is outlined. The first task in this theory as in classical relativity theory is to model space-time, the arena of natural processes. It is shown that the quantum space-time models of Banai introduced in another paper is formulated in terms of Davis' quantum relativity. The recently proposed classical relativistic quantum theory of Prugovečki and his corresponding classical relativistic quantum model of space-time open the way to introduce, in a consistent way, the quantum space-time model (the quantum substitute of Minkowski space) of Banai proposed in the paper mentioned. The goal of quantum mechanics of quantum relativistic particles living in this model of space-time is to predict the rest mass system properties of classically relativistic (massive) quantum particles (“elementary particles”). The main new aspect of this quantum mechanics is that provides a true mass eigenvalue problem, and that the excited mass states of quantum relativistic particles can be interpreted as elementary particles. The question of field theory over quantum relativistic model of space-time is also discussed. Finally it is suggested that “quarks” should be considered as quantum relativistic particles.

Relativistic QFT from a Bohmian Perspective: A Proof of Concept

Foundations of Physics

Since Bohmian mechanics is explicitly nonlocal, it is widely believed that it is very hard, if not impossible, to make Bohmian mechanics compatible with relativistic quantum field theory (QFT). I explain, in simple terms, that it is not hard at all to construct a Bohmian theory that lacks Lorentz covariance, but makes the same measurable predictions as relativistic QFT. All one has to do is to construct a Bohmian theory that makes the same measurable predictions as QFT in one Lorentz frame, because then standard relativistic QFT itself guarantees that those predictions are Lorentz invariant. I first explain this in general terms, then I describe a simple Bohmian model that makes the same measurable predictions as the Standard Model of elementary particles, after which I give some hints towards a more fundamental theory beyond Standard Model. Finally, I present a short story telling how my views of fundamental physics in general, and of Bohmian mechanics in particular, evolved over time.