Emergent quantum mechanics (EmQM) explores the possibility of an ontology for quantum mechanics. The resurgence of interest in realist approaches to quantum mechanics challenges the standard textbook view, which represents an operationalist approach. The possibility of an ontological, i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA method for measuring the weak value of spin for atoms is proposed using a variant of the original Stern-Gerlach apparatus. A full simulation of an experiment for observing the real part of the weak value using the impulsive approximation has been carried out. Our predictions show a displacement of the beam of helium atoms in the metastable 23S1 state, Δw, that is within the resolution of conventional microchannel plate detectors indicating that this type of experiment is feasible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere has been a recent revival of interest in the notion of a 'trajectory' of a quantum particle. In this paper, we detail the relationship between Dirac's ideas, Feynman paths and the Bohm approach. The key to the relationship is the weak value of the momentum which Feynman calls a transition probability amplitude.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe claim of Kocsis et al. to have experimentally determined "photon trajectories" calls for a re-examination of the meaning of "quantum trajectories". We will review the arguments that have been assumed to have established that a trajectory has no meaning in the context of quantum mechanics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe begin by giving correct expressions for the short-time action following the work Makri-Miller. We use these estimates to derive an accurate expression modulo [Formula: see text] for the quantum propagator and we show that the quantum potential is negligible modulo [Formula: see text] for a point source, thus justifying an unfortunately largely ignored observation of Holland made twenty years ago. We finally prove that this implies that the quantum motion is classical for very short times.
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