Time-Crystal Model of the Electron Spin
Mário G. Silveirinha
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.
•Jul 22, 2021•0 citations