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American Journal of Physics

Bohmian mechanics as a heuristic device: Wave packets in the harmonic oscillator

Gary E. Bowman

Published Mar 1, 2002• 11 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Although Bohmian mechanics has attracted considerable interest as a causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, it also possesses intrinsic heuristic value, arising from calculational tools and physical insights that are unavailable in “standard” quantum mechanics. We illustrate by examining the behavior of Gaussian harmonic oscillator wave packets from the Bohmian perspective. By utilizing familiar classical concepts and techniques, we obtain a physically transparent picture of packet behavior. This example provides, at a level accessible to students, a concrete illustration of Bohmian mechanics as a heuristic device that can enhance both understanding and discovery.

DOI
10.1119/1.1447539

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Although Bohmian mechanics has attracted considerable interest as a causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, it also possesses intrinsic heuristic value, arising from calculational tools and physical insights that are unavailable in “standard” quantum mechanics. We illustrate by examining the behavior of Gaussian harmonic oscillator wave packets from the Bohmian perspective. By utilizing familiar classical concepts and techniques, we obtain a physically transparent picture of packet behavior. This example provides, at a level accessible to students, a concrete illustration of Bohmian mechanics as a heuristic device that can enhance both understanding and discovery.
Bohmian mechanics is a causal interpretation of quantum mechanics in which there are well-defined particle trajectories guided by the wave function. Within this framework, it is shown that certain classical integrable systems can exhibit both periodic and chaotic behaviours. In this paper, we extend the work of Borondo et al. by investigating the behaviours of commensurate two-dimensional harmonic oscillator systems with different ratios of frequencies. We show that the system may produce chaotic behavior of Bohmian trajectories to be dependenton frequencies ratio. This result is illustrated numerically in computer experiments displaying the Bohmian trajectories.
Since its inception Bohmian mechanics has been generally regarded as a hidden-variable theory aimed at providing an objective description of quantum phenomena. To date, this rather narrow conception of Bohm’s proposal has caused it more rejection than acceptance. Now, after 65 years of Bohmian mechanics, should still be such an interpretational aspect the prevailing appraisal? Why not favoring a more pragmatic view, as a legitimate picture of quantum mechanics, on equal footing in all respects with any other more conventional quantum picture? These questions are used here to introduce a discussion on an alternative way to deal with Bohmian mechanics at present, enhancing its aspect as an efficient and useful picture or formulation to tackle, explore, describe and explain quantum phenomena where phase and correlation ( entanglement ) are key elements. This discussion is presented through two complementary blocks. The first block is aimed at briefly revisiting the historical context that gave rise to the appearance of Bohmian mechanics, and how this approach or analogous ones have been used in different physical contexts. This discussion is used to emphasize a more pragmatic view to the detriment of the more conventional hidden-variable (ontological) approach that has been a leitmotif within the quantum foundations. The second block focuses on some particular formal aspects of Bohmian mechanics supporting the view presented here, with special emphasis on the physical meaning of the local phase field and the associated velocity field encoded within the wave function. As an illustration, a simple model of Young’s two-slit experiment is considered. The simplicity of this model allows to understand in an easy manner how the information conveyed by the Bohmian formulation relates to other more conventional concepts in quantum mechanics. This sort of pedagogical application is also aimed at showing the potential interest to introduce Bohmian mechanics in undergraduate quantum mechanics courses as a working tool rather than merely an alternative interpretation.
Classical viscid media are quite common in our everyday life. However, we are not used to find such media in quantum mechanics and much less to analyze their effects on the dynamics of quantum systems. Here we provide a Bohmian analysis of the friction dynamics led by hypothetical quantum viscid media, which will be simulated by means of the so-called Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian. As it is shown, this causal model enables a better understanding of phenomena, such as quantum localization (“quantum freezing”) or the quantum-to-classical transition. We have analyzed these phenomena in a series of paradigmatic situations of quantum mechanics, such as free wave-packet evolution, motion in a linear potential, damped harmonic oscillator and interference dynamics.
Bohmian mechanics is a causal interpretation of quantum mechanics in which particles describe trajectories guided by the wave function. The dynamics in the vicinity of nodes of the wave function, usually called vortices, is regular if they are at rest. However, vortices generically move during time evolution of the system. We show that this movement is the origin of chaotic behavior of quantum trajectories. As an example, our general result is illustrated numerically in the two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator.
Bohmian mechanics is a causal interpretation of quantum mechanics in which particles describe trajectories guided by the wave function. The dynamics in the vicinity of nodes of the wave function, usually called vortices, is regular if they are at rest. However, vortices generically move during time evolution of the system. We show that this movement is the origin of chaotic behavior of quantum trajectories. As an example, our general result is illustrated numerically in the two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator. © EDP Sciences.
Interference is one of the most fundamental features which characterizes quantum systems. Here we provide an exhaustive analysis of the interfere dynamics associated with wave-packet superpositions from both the standard quantum-mechanical perspective and the Bohmian one. From this analysis, clear and insightful pictures of the physics involved in these kind of processes are obtained, which are of general validity (i.e., regardless of the type of wave packets considered) in the understanding of more complex cases where interference is crucial (e.g., scattering problems, slit diffraction, quantum control scenarios or, even, multipartite interactions). In particular, we show how problems involving wave-packet interference can be mapped onto problems of wave packets scattered off potential barriers.