Accelerating electrons are known to radiate electromagnetic waves, a property that is central to the concept of many devices, from antennas to synchrotrons. While the electrodynamics of accelerating charged particles is well understood, the same is not true for charged matter waves: would a locally accelerating charged matter wave, like its particle counterpart, radiate? Here we construct a novel class of matter waves, angular accelerating electron waves, by superpositions of twisted electrons carrying orbital angular momentum. We study the electrodynamic behaviour of such accelerating matter waves and reveal the generation of a solenoidal magnetic field in each component, and an accelerating electron wave that does not radiate. These novel properties will have practical impact in spin flipping of qubits for quantum information processing, have been suggested for control of time dilation and length contraction, and raise fundamental questions as to the nature of wave-particle duality in the context of radiating charged matter.
Accelerating electrons are known to radiate electromagnetic waves, a property that is central to the concept of many devices, from antennas to synchrotrons. While the electrodynamics of accelerating charged particles is well understood, the same is not true for charged matter waves: would a locally accelerating charged matter wave, like its particle counterpart, radiate? Here we construct a novel class of matter waves, angular accelerating electron waves, by superpositions of twisted electrons carrying orbital angular momentum. We study the electrodynamic behaviour of such accelerating matter waves and reveal the generation of a solenoidal magnetic field in each component, and an accelerating electron wave that does not radiate. These novel properties will have practical impact in spin flipping of qubits for quantum information processing, have been suggested for control of time dilation and length contraction, and raise fundamental questions as to the nature of wave-particle duality in the context of radiating charged matter.
The classical electrodynamic conclusion that an accelerating point charge mustradiate has long been regarded as an iron law, yet the electron in the hydrogen atom does notradiate and fall into the nucleus. This paper points out that the root of this contradiction is not inclassical electromagnetic theory itself, but in the untested hidden assumption that “the electronis a point particle”. Compton scattering experiments have already shown that the electron, whencolliding with a photon, behaves as a particle with a finite size, and its intrinsic geometric radius isgiven by the reduced Compton wavelength: re = ℏ/(mec) . Based on this physical fact, andconsidering that while the electron revolves around the nucleus (orbital motion) it also has anintrinsic spin, the electron itself generates two homologous electromagnetic radiation fields:orbital radiation and spin radiation. These two real electromagnetic waves always superpose andinterfere in space. Under specific conditions (frequencies forming an integer ratio, oppositephases, and matching amplitudes), the two waves completely interfere destructively, resulting inzero net external radiation and forming a stable standing wave inside the system– this is thestationary state of the hydrogen atom. The destructive interference condition naturally leads toωs = nΩ (n integer) and re/R = α/n2 , where α is the fine-structure constant. Combined withthe Coulomb force (centripetal force) equation, one uniquely obtains the quantized orbital radiiRn = n2a0 (a0 is the Bohr radius) and the angular momentum quantization Ln = nℏ . Thefine-structure constant thus acquires a geometric meaning: α = re/a0 .This paper further reveals the classical nature of wave-particle duality: the electron is always aparticle (with a definite trajectory), and its wave-like behavior comes from the superposition andinterference of the electromagnetic waves of spin and orbital radiation. The “particle-like”behavior observed in experiments is essentially the point-like signal produced when the photonradiated by the electron is absorbed, while the wave-particle duality of the photon itself is an1intrinsic property of it being an electromagnetic wave packet. Based on this picture, the paperprovides a classical causal explanation for the electron double-slit experiment– the electron asa particle barely passes through the slits; the interference fringes originate from theself-interference of the radiation wave packet (photon) generated by the electron interactingwith the slit plate, and the bright spots on the screen come from the discrete absorption eventsof photons, with the accumulation of many events forming the fringes. Observation inevitablydisturbs the electron because any measurement disrupts the destructive interference condition,thereby eliminating the mystery of “wavefunction collapse”.The paper also systematically expounds the electromagnetic nature of the photon: the photon isan electromagnetic wave packet radiated when the electron transitions between stationarystates due to the imbalance of interference; its energy E = hλ is determined solely by thefrequency, with constant amplitude; the photon is born at the speed of light because it originatesfrom a pre-existing electromagnetic wave. Finally, the paper discusses the essence of theelectromagnetic field: the electromagnetic field is not matter but energy; the vacuum is theground state electromagnetic field (filled with photons), and the cosmic microwave backgroundradiation is its observational evidence. Macroscopic electromagnetic fields (such as radio waves,visible light) are perturbations superimposed on the ground state field, acting as carriers ofenergy and information. The paper also links the background photon field to the cosmicmicrowave background radiation, providing a new causal picture for the interaction mechanismof charged particles and the inverse-square law of forces.This model is completely based on classical electromagnetism and the physical fact that theelectron has a finite size, providing a causally clear and physically intuitive unified picture for thestability of the hydrogen atom, quantized orbits, wave-particle duality, the nature of the photon,the double-slit experiment, the measurement problem, and the energy origin of theelectromagnetic field.The model further suggests that the proton may also be a similar self-sustaining electromagneticbound state, and the origin of cosmic matter can be attributed to the process of energy lockingby the condensation of electrons and positrons, offering a unified perspective for physicalphenomena from the atom tothe cosmos.
We study relativistic twisted (orbital-angular-momentum) states of a massive charged particle propagating through an axially symmetric, longitudinally inhomogeneous solenoid field and a co-directed accelerating or decelerating electric field. Starting from the Dirac equation and using controlled spinless and paraxial approximations, we show that the transverse envelope obeys an effective nonstationary Schrödinger equation governed by a Caldirola--Kanai Hamiltonian. The longitudinal energy gain or loss encoded in f(z)=[E0−V(z)]2−m2 generates an effective gain or damping rate γ(z)=∂zf(z)/[2f(z)] and a z-dependent oscillator frequency ω(z)=p0Ω(z)/f(z). Exploiting the Ermakov mapping (unitary equivalence of Caldirola--Kanai systems), we obtain a closed-form propagated twisted wave function by transforming the stationary Landau basis. The transverse evolution is controlled by a single scaling function b(z) that satisfies a generalized Ermakov--Pinney equation with coefficients determined by Ez(z) and Bz(z). In the limiting cases of uniform acceleration with Bz=0 and of solenoid focusing with negligible acceleration, our solution reduces to previously known analytic results, providing a direct bridge to established models.
The wave-particle duality is one of the most intriguing properties of quantum objects. The duality is rather pervasive in the quantum world in the sense that not only classical particles sometimes behave like waves, but also classical waves, e.g., light, may behave as point particles. In this article, motivated by the wave-particle duality, I develop a deterministic time-crystal Lorentz-covariant mechanical model for an electron with spin. In the proposed time-crystal model an electron is formed by two components: a particle-type component that transports the electric charge, and a wave component that moves at the speed of light and whirls around the massive component. Interestingly, the motion of the particle-component is completely ruled by the trajectory of the wave-component, somewhat analogous to the pilot-wave theory of de Broglie-Bohm. The dynamics of the time-crystal electron is controlled by a generalized least action principle. The model predicts that the electron stationary states have a constant spin angular momentum, predicts the spin vector precession in a magnetic field and gives a possible explanation for the physical origin of the anomalous magnetic moment. Remarkably, the developed model has nonlocal features that prevent the divergence of the self-field interactions. The classical theory of the electron is recovered as an effective theory valid on a coarse time scale. The reported results suggest that time-crystal models may be used to describe some features of the quantum world that are inaccessible to the standard classical theory.
The spherical model of electron cannot explain Bohr magneton, de Broglie wave, etc. To explain these properties physically, we propose that spin, one core concept of quantum theory, is a reality, and introduce this alternative solely based on experimental findings, Planck’s, Einstein’s, and Dirac’s insights, and follows classical laws, that an electron is an electrical wave with a literal 21 spin (Dirac), i.e., spins two circles in one cycle, both angular momentum are ℏ. Its wavelength is determined by E=hνm0=λm0hc=m0c2 (Plank and Einstein), λ m 0 is the Compton wavelength. As E⃗ ⊥ c⃗ for a transverse wave, it has a net electricity due to the first spin, f(Eq)=21E0(1−cos(2ω0t)), half of its cycle, i.e., the minimal meaningful unit as F = E q , is related with its charge, q = E q ϵ 0 . Moreover, an electron has a ring shape due to the second spin, 2 π R 0 = λ m 0 , λ m 0 is the electron-impact cross section. As ℏ=λm0h2πλm0=m0cR0, it has a quantized classical angular momentum, with a speed of c . The Bohr magneton, μB=2m0qℏ, g -factor is 2. Critically, the full Dirac’s equation of an electron with a constant velocity is mc=ℏ⊥+p⊥+ℏ//+p//, and its electromagnetic properties due to charge are f(Eq)=f(Eq)cc2−v′2+f(Eq)cv′=Enet//+Eq⊥, v′//ℏ⊥ or v′//ℏ//, and v′//Enet. Assuming heavy charged particles have equivalent though shall not identical mechanisms, mathematically this model is equivalent to Special Relativity, and supports ALL its formulas, i.e., v < c , E = m c 2 , direction-insensitive m = γ m 0 and t=γt0; Moreover, the net electricity Enet// and Bohr magneton is orientation-quantized, direction-sensitive and follows Lorentz transformation, leading to Lorentz transformation of length contraction; while following Relativity, magnetism can be defined by f(B)=f(Eq)c2v′, which is not circularly symmetric and self-evidently does not follow Lorentz transformation. The temporospatial averaged magnetic intensity of a current is relativistic, Bˉ=∑f(Eq)c2Δv=2πϵ0c2I=2πμ0I, and μ 0 ϵ 0 c 2 = 1, supporting Maxwell’s equations. Further implications include chirality therefore magnetic spatial quantization, de Broglie wave, etc. The spherical model should be just an observation due to orientation quantization of Enet. We conclude this model of electron may provide one step further to the ultimate Quantum Theory in a nonrelativistic spacetime.
We study the photon emission by charged spinless particles with phase vortices and an orbital angular momentum (OAM) projection in longitudinal electric and magnetic fields within the scalar QED. A realistic wave packet of an electron or ion accelerated by a radio-frequency wave locally feels a constant and spatially homogeneous field, which allows us to develop an effective model for losing the angular momentum of the vortex particle due to photon emission. For the fields typical for accelerator facilities, we find that an effective lifetime of the vortex state greatly exceeds the acceleration time. This proves that the acceleration of vortex electrons, ions, muons, and so forth to relativistic energies is possible in conventional linacs, as well as in the wake-field accelerators with higher field gradients, the OAM losses due to the photon emission are mostly negligible, and that the vortex quantum state is highly robust against these losses.
In the context of the Aharonov-Bohm effect, it is well-known that the local action of the vector potential or the non-local action of the magnetic field are properties attributable to quantum physics, which can explain the observed Aharonov-Bohm phase. Here we point out that, surprisingly, these properties are also attributable to classical physics and that this result follows from examining the electromagnetic angular momentum of a static electric charge outside an infinitely-long solenoid of finite radius carrying a uniform magnetic flux. This angular momentum may be expressed in three equivalent forms. The first form shows that there is an electromagnetic angular momentum even in regions for which the magnetic field vanishes but the potential does not, which stresses the physical nature of the vector potential in classical physics. The second form shows that there is an electromagnetic angular momentum produced by the non-local action of the magnetic field. The third form shows that the Aharonov-Bohm phase is proportional to the magnitude of the electromagnetic angular momentum, which sheds light on the physical meaning of this phase.