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arXiv:1302.2080 · Physics of Particles and Nuclei Letters

Classical limit of relativistic quantum mechanical equations in the Foldy-Wouthuysen representation

Alexander J. Silenko

Published Mar 1, 2013• 39 citations
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Abstract

It is shown that, under the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation conditions, using the Foldy-Wouthuysen (FW) representation allows the problem of finding a classical limit of relativistic quantum mechanical equations to be reduced to the replacement of operators in the Hamiltonian and quantum mechanical equations of motion by the respective classical quantities.

DOI
10.1134/s1547477113020131

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It is shown that, under the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation conditions, using the Foldy-Wouthuysen (FW) representation allows the problem of finding a classical limit of relativistic quantum mechanical equations to be reduced to the replacement of operators in the Hamiltonian and quantum mechanical equations of motion by the respective classical quantities.
A general method of the Foldy-Wouthyusen (FW) transformation for relativistic particles of arbitrary spin in strong external fields has been developed. The use of the found transformation operator is not restricted by any definite commutation relations between even and odd operators. The final FW Hamiltonian can be expanded into a power series in the Planck constant which characterizes the order of magnitude of quantum corrections. Exact expressions for low-order terms in the Planck constant can be derived. Finding these expressions allows one to perform a simple transition to the semiclassical approximation which defines a classical limit of the relativistic quantum mechanics. As an example, interactions of spin-1/2 and scalar particles with a strong electromagnetic field have been considered. Quantum and semiclassical equations of motion of particles and their spins have been deduced. Full agreement between quantum and classical theories has been established.
It is shown that the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation for relativistic particles in strong external fields provides the possibility of obtaining a meaningful classical limit of the relativistic quantum mechanics. The full agreement between quantum and classical theories is proved. The coincidence of the semiclassical equations of motion of particles and their spins with the corresponding classical equations is established. The Niels Bohr's correspondence principle is valid not only in the limit of large spin quantum numbers but also for particles with any spin as well as for spinless particles.
General properties of the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation which is widely used in quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry are considered. Merits and demerits of the original Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation method are analyzed. While this method does not satisfy the Eriksen condition of the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation, it can be corrected with the use of the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula. We show a possibility of such a correction and propose an appropriate algorithm of calculations. An applicability of the corrected Foldy-Wouthuysen method is restricted by the condition of convergence of a series of relativistic corrections.