Some Selected Applications of Bohmian Mechanics

E. Deotto, G. C. Ghirardi

Yang Song, Yujun Yang, Fu-Ming Guo +1 more

Abstract The ionization process of a hydrogen-like atom in the intense laser field is studied by the Bohmian-mechanics method. We propose a criterion for atomic ionization based on the total energy of a Bohmian particle (BP): when it is larger than or equal to zero, ionization occurs, when it is lower than zero, no ionization occurs. We find that the time-dependent ionization probabilities calculated by the Bohmian-mechanics and projection methods are almost the same under different laser parameters. Two typical Bohmian trajectories are selected to analyze the ionization process. The consistency between the time-dependent ionization probabilities calculated by the two methods is quantitatively analyzed from the aspect of the probability density of the wave-function.

K. Berndl, M. Daumer, D. Dürr +2 more

Jeffrey Alan Barrett

Abstract We consider how Bohmian mechanics characterizes the behavior of physical systems paying particular attention to what it means to make a measurement in the theory and how one should understand the empirical content of one’s records. We discuss the sense in which a measurement record selects a branch of the quantum-mechanical state and, hence, why the empirical content of the record is well-understood as being given by the effective wave function in configuration space. We conclude by considering the virtues and vices of Bohmian mechanics given how it accounts for our experience. This includes reflecting on how the theory explains surreal trajectories and EPR-Bell type nonlocal correlations.

Arthur I. Fine

S. Di Matteo, C. Mazzoli

We reanalyze a recent experiment by Sharoglazova et al. [Nature (London) 643, 67 (2025)] highlighting the role of the transient regime. We prove that in the evanescent state of the stationary regime their experimental data can be interpreted in terms of Bohmian quantum mechanics. At the same time, Bohm's quantum potential can be reinterpreted as a kinetic-energy term in the framework of Nelson's stochastic quantum mechanics, with a hidden-variable, nonclassical speed fitting the experimental data as well. The experiment can be interpreted as well within orthodox quantum mechanics and is therefore not conclusive in selecting or challenging any framework.