Two equivalent modes of statistical description of stochastic particle production are considered, exclusive and inclusive. Information about particle production processes are distributed inside exclusive and inclusive descriptions in different ways. The exclusive description realizes an ‘‘all or nothing’’ investigation strategy, whereas the inclusive description realizes the ‘‘step by step’’ investigation strategy. Conventional quantum field theory is shown to use essentially an exclusive description. The possibility of a transition to a more reasonable investigation strategy (inclusive description) of particle production description is discussed.
Two equivalent modes of statistical description of stochastic particle production are considered, exclusive and inclusive. Information about particle production processes are distributed inside exclusive and inclusive descriptions in different ways. The exclusive description realizes an ‘‘all or nothing’’ investigation strategy, whereas the inclusive description realizes the ‘‘step by step’’ investigation strategy. Conventional quantum field theory is shown to use essentially an exclusive description. The possibility of a transition to a more reasonable investigation strategy (inclusive description) of particle production description is discussed.
One can construct the model conception of quantum phenomena (MCQP) which relates to the axiomatic conception of quantum phenomena (ACQP), (i.e. to the conventional quantum mechanics) in the same way, as the statistical physics relates to thermodynamics. Such a possibility is based on a new conception of geometry, which admits one to construct such a deterministic space-time geometry, where motion of free particles is primordially stochastic. The space-time geometry can be chosen in such a way that statistical description of random particle motion coincides with the quantum description. Methods of MCQP in investigation of quantum phenomena appear to be more subtle and effective than, that of ACQP. For instance, investigation of the free Dirac equation in framework of MCQP shows that the Dirac particle is in reality a rotator, i.e. two particles rotating around their common center of inertia. In the framework of MCQP one can discover the force field, responsible for pair production, that is impossible in the framework of ACQP.
Despite its name, Quantum Field Theory (QFT) has been built to describe interactions between localizable particles. For this reason the actual formalism of QFT is partly based on a suitable generalization of the one already used for systems of point particles. This circumstance gives rise to a number of conceptual problems, stemming essentially from the fact that the existence within QFT of non-equivalent representations implies the existence of field theories allowing, within the same theory, different, inequivalent, descriptions of particles. This led some authors to claim that in QFT the concept itself of particle should be abandoned. In this paper we will shortly discuss the validity of this claim, as well as the possibilities, so far existing, of building alternative versions of QFT, not designed in advance to allow some kind of particle representation. We will also spend some words about the generalizations of the concept itself of particle which could grant for a better cohabitation of particles and fields within a wider formulation of QFT. The latter is indispensable if we want to extend the range of application of QFT from particle physics or simple condensed matter physics to other domains of scientific research.
One can construct the model conception of quantum phenomena (MCQP) which relates to the axiomatic conception of quantum phenomena (ACQP), (i.e. to the conventional quantum mechanics) in the same way, as the statistical physics relates to thermodynamics. Such a possibility is based on a new conception of geometry, which admits one to construct such a deterministic space-time geometry, where motion of free particles is primordially stochastic. The space-time geometry can be chosen in such a way that statistical description of random particle motion coincides with the quantum description. Transition from ACQP to MCQP is a result of correction of some mistakes in the foundation of ACQP. Methods of MCQP in investigation of quantum phenomena appear to be more subtle and effective than, that of ACQP. For instance, investigation of the free Dirac equation in framework of MCQP shows that the Dirac particle is in reality a rotator, i.e. two particles rotating around their common center of inertia. In the framework of MCQP one can discover the force field, responsible for pair production, that is impossible in the framework of ACQP.
In this paper, we try to give a new approach to the quantum mechanics(QM) on the framework of quantum field theory(QFT). Firstly, we make a detail study on the (non-relativistic) Schrödinger field theory, obtaining the Schrödinger equation as a field equation, after field quantization, the Heisenberg equations for the momentum and position operators of the particles excited from the (Schrödinger) field and the Feynman path integral formula of QM are also obtained. We then give the probability concepts of quantum mechanics in terms of a statistical ensemble, realizing the ensemble(or statistical) interpretation. With these, we make a series of conceptual modifications to the standard quantum mechanics, especially propose a new assumption about the quantum measurement theory which can solve the EPR paradox from the view of the QFT. Besides, a field theoretical description to the double-slit interference experiment is developed, obtaining the required particle number distribution. In the end, we extend all the above concepts to the relativistic case so that the ensemble interpretation is still proper. Two extra topics are added, in the first one, an operable experiment is proposed to distinguish the Copenhagen interpretation from the ensemble one via very different experimental results. While the second topic concerns with the extensions of the concept of coherent state to both the Bosonic and Fermionic field cases, to obtain the corresponding classical fields. And in the concluding section, we make some general comparisons between the standard QM and the one derived from the QFT, from which we claim that the QFT is the fundamental theory.
In this paper, we try to give a new approach to the quantum mechanics(QM) on the framework of quantum field theory(QFT). Firstly, we make a detail study on the (non-relativistic) Schrodinger field theory, obtaining the Schrodinger equation as a field equation, after field quantization, the Heisenberg equations for the momentum and position operators of the particles excited from the (Schrodinger) field and the Feynman path integral formula of QM are also obtained. We then give the probability concepts of quantum mechanics in terms of a statistical ensemble, realizing the ensemble(or statistical) interpretation. With these, we make a series of conceptual modifications to the standard quantum mechanics, especially propose a new assumption about the quantum measurement theory which can solve the EPR paradox from the view of the QFT. Besides, a field theoretical description to the double-slit interference experiment is developed, obtaining the required particle number distribution. In the end, we extend all the above concepts to the relativistic case so that the ensemble interpretation is still proper. Two extra topics are added, in the first one, an operable experiment is proposed to distinguish the Copenhagen interpretation from the ensemble one via very different experimental results. While the second topic concerns with the extensions of the concept of coherent state to both the Bosonic and Fermionic field cases, to obtain the corresponding classical fields. And in the concluding section, we make some general comparisons between the standard QM and the one derived from the QFT, from which we claim that the QFT is the fundamental theory.
As we have seen in Section 8.4, the basis of our perception of an objective reality is statistical mechanics and field theory. These are routinely used in equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical thermodynamics (see, for example, Calzetta & Hu [59]), which govern the macroscopic laws of everyday life. Thus the quantum theory of fields must be the fundamental description of Nature. Therefore, the simpler quantum mechanics of particles is necessarily a derived description. This chapter discusses the extent to which a particle picture of matter and radiation is appropriate. In relativistic quantum field theory, particles appear only as asymptotic excitations of the fields. The quantum particle concept therefore makes mathematical (and intuitive) sense only under very special circumstances, namely in those where a system actually behaves like particles do: - As quasiparticles, they are useful in the domain, where the geometric optics perspective applies. - Before and after a scattering event in a dilute gas or a particle collider ring, particles can be considered as being essentially free. During the very short interaction time itself, the scattering process cannot be described by a particle picture, but needs a hydromechanical description or a kinetic description via Kadanoff-Baym equations. Already at the very beginning of modern quantum mechanics, when Born found his probability interpretation, the scattering process of single particles in an external classical field was understood (see Section 14.1 of the Appendix) to be a wave process relating initially and finally stationary particles, freely moving in their center of mass frame. It is a historical accident that one continues to use the name particle in the many microscopic situations, where it is grossly inappropriate to think of it with the classical meaning of a tiny bullet moving through space. When we restrict the use of the particle concept to where it is appropriate, or when we do not think of particles as “objects”, in both cases all mystery is gone, and the foundations become fully rational. The inappropriate focus on the particle aspect of quantum mechanics created the appearance of mystery; common sense is restored by focussing instead on the field aspect. To substantiate the above summary view, we give in Section 12.1 an analysis of the photoelectric effect and in Section 12.2 a review of the origin of particle tracks. This leads in Section 12.3 to a discussion about the reality of particles. In the remainder of the chapter, we discuss the relation between fields and particles in more detail. Section 12.4 poses the problem how the nonrelativistic multiparticle description arises from relativistic quantum field theory. Section 12.5 considers the case of free quantum fields, and Section 12.6 the case of interacting quantum fields. Section 12.7, the final section, discusses the semiclassical view of quasiparticles in the approximation familiar from geometric optics.