Realistic Experiments for Measuring the Wave Function of a Single Particle

SHMUEL NUSSINOV

Gui‐Lu Long, Wei Qin, Zhe Yang +1 more

A realistic interpretation(REIN) of wave function in quantum mechanics is briefly presented in this work. In REIN, the wave function of a microscopic object is just its real existence rather than a mere mathematical description. Quantum object can exist in disjoint regions of space which just as the wave function distributes, travels at a finite speed, and collapses instantly upon a measurement. The single photon interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is analyzed using REIN. In particular, we proposed and experimentally implemented a generalized delayed-choice experiment, the encounter-delayed-choice(EDC) experiment, in which the second beam splitter is inserted at the encounter of the two sub-waves from the two arms. In the EDC experiment, the front parts of wave functions before the beam splitter insertion do not interfere and show the particle nature, and the back parts of the wave functions will interfere and show a wave nature. The predicted phenomenon is clearly demonstrated in the experiment, and supports the REIN idea.

Yakir Aharonov, Lev Vaidman A

GuiLu Long, Wei Qin, Zhe Yang +1 more

In this paper, a realistic interpretation (REIN) of the wave function in quantum mechanics is briefly presented. We demonstrate that in the REIN, the wave function of a microscopic object is its real existence rather than a mere mathematical description. Specifically, the quantum object can exist in disjointed regions of space just as the wave function is distributed, travels at a finite speed, and collapses instantly upon a measurement. Furthermore, we analyze the single-photon interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) using the REIN. Based on this, we propose and experimentally implement a generalized delayed-choice experiment, called the encounter-delayed-choice experiment, where the second beam splitter is decided whether or not to insert at the encounter of two sub-waves along the arms of the MZI. In such an experiment, the parts of the sub-waves, which do not travel through the beam splitter, show a particle nature, whereas the remaining parts interfere and thus show a wave nature. The predicted phenomenon is clearly demonstrated in the experiment, thus supporting the REIN idea.

James Arneberg

I propose a local, realist interpretation of quantum mechanics based on a physical scalar wave field in ordinary three-dimensional space. Each fundamental particle (electron, photon, proton, etc.) possesses its own wave field. The field is fundamental — it is not emitted by the particle, nor does it draw energy from the particle’s motion. The particle is guided by the phase gradient of its own wave via a Bohmian guidance law. The wave evolves according to a linear Klein-Gordon equation. For a single particle this reproduces the full empirical success of quantum mechanics, including the hydrogen spectrum and the double-slit interference pattern. For multiple particles, each particle retains its own local 3D wave; no configuration space is needed. Entanglement is rejected as a fundamental physical phenomenon: the correlations observed in Bell-type experiments are interpreted as ordinary statistical correlations arising from common past interactions, not as evidence of non-locality or of a non-separable quantum state. The quantum mechanical wave function in configuration space is regarded as a mathematical tool, not a physical field. The theory is local, realist, and fully three-dimensional.

Yakir Aharonov, Lev Vaidman