Directly observing relativistic Bohmian mechanics

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Wang, Yun-Fei, Wang, Hui, Zhang, Tong, Ye, Yi-Teng, Wang, Xiao-Yu, Lu, Chao-Yang, Pan, Jian-Wei
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866918141089546240
author Wang, Yun-Fei
Wang, Hui
Zhang, Tong
Ye, Yi-Teng
Wang, Xiao-Yu
Lu, Chao-Yang
Pan, Jian-Wei
author_facet Wang, Yun-Fei
Wang, Hui
Zhang, Tong
Ye, Yi-Teng
Wang, Xiao-Yu
Lu, Chao-Yang
Pan, Jian-Wei
contents Bohmian mechanics, also referred to as the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave theory, represents a deterministic and nonlocal interpretation of quantum mechanics. Since its origination in 1927, despite many attempts, reconciling it with relativistic theory and verification of its relativistic effects have remained elusive. Here, we report a direct observation of relativistic characteristics of Bohmian mechanics. We reconstruct the relativistic Bohmian trajectories of single photons utilizing weak measurement techniques in a double-slit interferometer, unveiling a fundamental aspect of relativistic Bohmian mechanics. We investigate the effective squared mass density of single photons, revealing its negative values in the destructive regions -- a phenomenon directly links to the tachyonic behavior in relativistic Bohmian mechanics. The continuity equations given by both the Klein-Gordon equation and Schrödinger's equation are experimentally examined. Our result indicates that within the framework of relativity, the conservation of energy holds true, whereas the conservation of particle number for a free scalar field no longer holds. The emergence of previously unobserved phenomena in the extensively studied double-slit experiment are enabled by Bohmian mechanics, while conversely, these experimental outcomes offer unambiguous evidence of the long-sought-after relativistic features within Bohmian mechanics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_11609
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Directly observing relativistic Bohmian mechanics
Wang, Yun-Fei
Wang, Hui
Zhang, Tong
Ye, Yi-Teng
Wang, Xiao-Yu
Lu, Chao-Yang
Pan, Jian-Wei
Quantum Physics
Bohmian mechanics, also referred to as the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave theory, represents a deterministic and nonlocal interpretation of quantum mechanics. Since its origination in 1927, despite many attempts, reconciling it with relativistic theory and verification of its relativistic effects have remained elusive. Here, we report a direct observation of relativistic characteristics of Bohmian mechanics. We reconstruct the relativistic Bohmian trajectories of single photons utilizing weak measurement techniques in a double-slit interferometer, unveiling a fundamental aspect of relativistic Bohmian mechanics. We investigate the effective squared mass density of single photons, revealing its negative values in the destructive regions -- a phenomenon directly links to the tachyonic behavior in relativistic Bohmian mechanics. The continuity equations given by both the Klein-Gordon equation and Schrödinger's equation are experimentally examined. Our result indicates that within the framework of relativity, the conservation of energy holds true, whereas the conservation of particle number for a free scalar field no longer holds. The emergence of previously unobserved phenomena in the extensively studied double-slit experiment are enabled by Bohmian mechanics, while conversely, these experimental outcomes offer unambiguous evidence of the long-sought-after relativistic features within Bohmian mechanics.
title Directly observing relativistic Bohmian mechanics
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11609