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On The Probability Density of Spinless Particles

MohammadJavad Kazemi, Hadi Hashamipour, Mohammad Hosein Barati

Published Feb 12, 2018• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

In this paper, we shall derive a new conserved current for Klein-Gordon equation. The first component of this current is non-negative and reduces to $|\phi|^2$ in the non-relativistic limit. Therefore, it can be interpreted as a suitable probability density for spinless particles. In addition, this current is time-like and so prevents faster than light particle propagation. We will see the probability density has a considerable deviation from $|\phi|^2$ providing the uncertainty in momentum is much greater than $m_0c$.

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1 Comment on ’Another form of the Klein-Gordon equation’

Andreas Aste

It is shown that the alternative Klein-Gordon equation with positive definite probability density proposed in a letter by M.D. Kostin does not meet the requirements of relativistic (quantum) field theory and therefore does not allow for a meaningful physical interpretation. PACS code: 11.10.-z Keywords: Klein-Gordon equation, relativistic field theory. 2 The alternative formulation of the Klein-Gordon equation [1, 2] proposed by M.D. Kostin reads [3] i¯h ∂φ ∂t = +mc2φ + c ( ˆ⃗p ⃗ ψ) (1) i¯h ∂ ⃗ ψ ∂t = −mc2 ⃗ ψ + c ˆ ⃗pφ, (2) where φ(⃗r,t) and ⃗ ψ(⃗r,t) are ’scalar ’ and ’vector ’ probability amplitudes, respectively, and ˆ ⃗p = −i¯h ⃗ ∇. Defining the probability density P = φ ∗ φ + ( ⃗ ψ ∗ ⃗ ψ) (3) and the probability current density one readily derives the probability conservation equation ⃗S = c(φ ∗ ⃗ ψ + φ ⃗ ψ

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arXiv:2209.07461•Proceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences•Nov 1, 2022•4 citations
In this paper, we shall derive a new conserved current for Klein-Gordon equation. The first component of this current is non-negative and reduces to ∣ϕ∣2|\phi|^2∣ϕ∣2 in the non-relativistic limit. Therefore, it can be interpreted as a suitable probability density for spinless particles. In addition, this current is time-like and so prevents faster than light particle propagation. We will see the probability density has a considerable deviation from ∣ϕ∣2|\phi|^2∣ϕ∣2 providing the uncertainty in momentum is much greater than m0cm_0cm0​c.
In this paper, a conserved current for Klein--Gordon equation is derived. It is shown, for (1+11+11+1) dimensions, the first component of this current is non-negative and reduces to ${|\ensuremath{\phi}|}^{2}$ in nonrelativistic limit. Therefore, it can be interpreted as the probability density of spinless particles. In addition, main issues pertaining to localization in relativistic quantum theory are discussed, with a demonstration on how this definition of probability density can overcome such obstacles. Our numerical study indicates that the probability density deviates significantly from ${|\ensuremath{\phi}|}^{2}$ only when the uncertainty in momentum is greater than m0c{m}_{0}cm0​c.
The Klein-Gordon equation describes the wave-like behavior of spinless particles since it is Lorentz invariant. While it seemed initially ripe for explaining the electronic structure of the hydrogen atom, the lack of a unconditional positive probability density really limited its applications. Yet, it is intimately connected with fermions. Any solution to the Dirac equation is automatically a solution to the Klein-Gordon equation. What is even more surprising, the Klein-Gordon equation for a free particle turns into the Schrödinger equation in the non-relativistic limit. In this work we show that these problems disappear when we use the relativistic mass instead of the rest mass. While the Klein-Gordon equation losses its Lorentz invariance because of this transformation, it gains most of the features present the Schrödinger equation, including the unconditional positivity of probability density, while keeping most of its relativistic characteristics intact, including the matter-wave dispersion relation. What is even more surprising, the non-relativistic, quasi-static limit of the Klein-Gordon equation with relativistic mass is simply the Schrödinger equation under all possible conditions. So, it can be argued that this Klein-Gordon equation is a sort of relativistic Schrödinger equation.
It is shown that the alternative Klein-Gordon equation with positive definite probability density proposed in a letter by M.D. Kostin does not meet the requirements of relativistic (quantum) field theory and therefore does not allow for a meaningful physical interpretation. PACS code: 11.10.-z Keywords: Klein-Gordon equation, relativistic field theory. 2 The alternative formulation of the Klein-Gordon equation [1, 2] proposed by M.D. Kostin reads [3] i¯h ∂φ ∂t = +mc2φ + c ( ˆ⃗p ⃗ ψ) (1) i¯h ∂ ⃗ ψ ∂t = −mc2 ⃗ ψ + c ˆ ⃗pφ, (2) where φ(⃗r,t) and ⃗ ψ(⃗r,t) are ’scalar ’ and ’vector ’ probability amplitudes, respectively, and ˆ ⃗p = −i¯h ⃗ ∇. Defining the probability density P = φ ∗ φ + ( ⃗ ψ ∗ ⃗ ψ) (3) and the probability current density one readily derives the probability conservation equation ⃗S = c(φ ∗ ⃗ ψ + φ ⃗ ψ
We show that the antisymmetric spinor tensor representation of spin-0 relativistic quantum mechanics provides a conserved current with positive definite timelike component, interpretable as probability density. The construction runs in complete analogy to the spin-1/2 case, and provides an analogously natural one-particle Hilbert space description for spin 0. Except for the free particle, the obtained formulation proves to be inequivalent to the one based on the Klein--Gordon equation. The second quantized version may lead to new field theoretical interaction terms for zero-spin particles.
We address the Klein–Gordon equation for a spinless charged particle in the presence of an electromagnetic (EM) field, and focus on its known shortcoming, related to the existence of solutions with a negative probability density. We disclose a principal way to overcome this shortcoming, using our recent results obtained in the analysis of quantum phase effects for charges and dipoles, which prove the need to abandon the customary definition of the momentum operator for a charged particle in an EM field through its canonical momentum, and to adopt the more general definition of this operator through the sum of mechanical and EM momenta for the system ‘charged particle in an EM field’. We show that the application of the new energy-momentum operator to the Klein–Gordon equation actually eliminates solutions with negative probability density. Some implications of the obtained results are discussed.