The wave theory of electrons

William Phelps Allis, Hans Mueller

Marco Giliberti, Luisa Lovisetti

N T Valishin, Fan T. Valishin, Sergey A. Moiseev

In this work we propose a new approach to the explanation of the nature of electron based on the corpuscular-wave monism using the further development of the optical-mechanical analogy to describe the physical reality. In this theory the motion of an electron is considered to occur along a trajectory the presence of which is a reflection of the existence of a particle, as well as it is assumed that any motion is defined by a wave V(x,t). It is assumed that there is an explicit relationship between the trajectory and wave equations of the electron, which are established on the basis of the local variational principle. In this approach, an electron wave propagating in free space takes along the electron trajectory. We used this theory to describe the electron motion in a hydrogen-like atom and found its stationary states. The energies of these states coincide with the known quantum mechanics solutions for the stationary energies of the hydrogen-like atom, however, in our approach the spatial trajectories of the electron have the form of the surfaces, which are formed in the region of nodes of the standing electron wave. These surfaces have the form of spheres for the spherical symmetrical electron states and the radii of these spheres coincide with the radii of the Bohr orbits of these states. Thus, in this approach the trajectory and wave measurements of the electron get a consistent spatial description that is inherent to the picture of the corpuscular-wave monism. We discuss the considerable correspondence of the proposed theory with the quantum mechanics results describing the stationary and non-stationary motions of the electron in the atom and their difference. We believe that measuring of the spatial configuration of the observed electron trajectory surfaces in an atom could be a deep examination of the standard quantum theory.

Clinton J. Davisson

Vinod Kumar Khanna

Many breakthrough experimental discoveries in the realm of physics are described, notable among them being Young’s double-slit experiment, Davisson and Germer experiment on electron diffraction, and Crompton scattering of X-rays or γ -rays. Also explained are revolutionary theories such as Planck’s quantum hypothesis, Bohr’s model of atomic structure, and Einstein’s interpretation of photoelectric effect, which laid down the foundations of quantum theory. Wave-particle dualism is epitomized in cornerstone theories namely de Broglie’s hypothesis and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Surprisingly, the old notion of treating electrons as particles moving in an electric field works satisfactorily in many everyday-life applications but leads to serious errors at the nanoscale where the wave picture of electrons salvages our understanding of matter and energy. Electrons can act as particles or waves. The wave picture has its origins in the quantum theory.

Yin Wah Fiona Chan, W. L. Tsui

A classical theory of scattering of an electron beam by a laser standing wave (the Kapitza-Dirac effect) is presented. The prediction of the theory is in good agreement with all the experimental results which were reported independently by Bartell et al., Schwarz et al., Takeda et al., and Pfeiffer. This shows that the interaction of a free electron with coherent radiation is basically a classical process.