An Explanation of De Broglie Matter Waves in Terms of the Electron Coupling to the Vacuum State

William C. Daywitt

L. Piccirillo

Rutherford thought to explore the structure of matter by bombarding thin sheets of metals with alpha particles. According to Bohr, the mechanism of emission of e.m. wave is represented by the downward vertical lines connecting states at different n. The two main successes are: explanation of Rydberg formula and expression of Rydberg empirical constant in terms of fundamental constants and the calculation of the size of the atom in agreement with measurements. The remarkable fact that de Broglie hypothesis of pilot waves, when applied to the hydrogen atom, gives excellent agreement with Bohr's theory seems to give foundation that the matter-wave duality is a characteristic of elementary particles like the electrons. Shortly after de Broglie suggestion an experimental verification of de Broglie ideas was successfully attempted. Davisson and Germer needed to choose a crystal whose spacing was such that, under a reasonable acceleration voltage of the electrons, the de Broglie wavelength would be of the order of the lattice spacing.

Stanisław Olszewski

Jean Louis Van Belle

This paper explores the assumptions underpinning de Broglie’s concept of a wave-packet and the various conceptual questions and issues. It also explores how the alternative – the ring current model of an electron (or of matter-particles in general) – relates to Louis de Broglie’s λ = h/p relation and rephrases the theory in terms of the wavefunction as well as the wave equation(s) for an electron in free space.

Daniel Shanahan

Abstract Various attempts at a thoroughly wave-theoretic explanation of matter have taken as their fundamental ingredient the de Broglie or matter wave. But that wave is superluminal, whereas it is implicit in the Lorentz transformation that influences propagate ultimately at the velocity c of light. It is shown that if the de Broglie wave is understood, not as a wave in its own right, but as the relativistically induced modulation of an underlying standing wave comprising counter-propagating ináuences of velocity c, the energy, momentum, mass and inertia of a massive particle can be explained from the manner in which the modulated wave structure must adapt to a change of inertial frame. With those properties of the particle explained entirely from wave structure, nothing remains to be apportioned to anything discrete or ìsolidîwithin the wave. Consideration may thus be given to the possibility of wave-theoretic explanations of particle trajectories, and to a deeper understanding of the Klein-Gordon, Schrˆdinger and Dirac equations, all of which were conceived as equations for the de Broglie wave.

Sudipta Das