The velocity of probability transport in quantum mechanics


Autoria(s): Melloy, GF; Bracken, AJ
Data(s)

01/01/1998

Resumo

In his study of the 'time of arrival' problem in the nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of a single particle, Allcock [1] noted that the direction of the probability flux vector is not necessarily the same as that of the mean momentum of a wave packet, even when the packet is composed entirely of plane waves with a common direction of momentum. Packets can be constructed, for example for a particle moving under a constant force, in which probability flows for a finite time in the opposite direction to the momentum. A similar phenomenon occurs for the Dirac electron. The maximum amount of probabilitiy backflow which can occur over a given time interval can be calculated in each case.

Identificador

http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:35293

Idioma(s)

eng

Palavras-Chave #Physics, Multidisciplinary
Tipo

Journal Article