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Pilot-wave theory and quantum fields

Ward Struyve

Published Jan 1, 2010• 57 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm, similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular, we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that they are equivalent. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland's model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini's model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome.

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Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector, but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such pilot-wave theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that Valentini’s approach is more or less equivalent to Bohm’s approach. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland’s model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini’s model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome. 1

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Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm, similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular, we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that they are equivalent. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland's model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini's model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome.

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Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm, similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular, we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that they are equivalent. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland's model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini's model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome.
Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector, but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such pilot-wave theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that Valentini’s approach is more or less equivalent to Bohm’s approach. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland’s model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini’s model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome. 1
Pilot-wave theories provide possible solutions to the measurement problem. In such theories, quantum systems are not only described by the state vector but also by some additional variables. These additional variables, also called beables, can be particle positions, field configurations, strings, etc. In this paper we focus our attention on pilot-wave theories in which the additional variables are field configurations. The first such theory was proposed by Bohm for the free electromagnetic field. Since Bohm, similar pilot-wave theories have been proposed for other quantum fields. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview and further development of these proposals. We discuss various bosonic quantum field theories such as the Schrödinger field, the free electromagnetic field, scalar quantum electrodynamics and the Abelian Higgs model. In particular, we compare the pilot-wave theories proposed by Bohm and by Valentini for the electromagnetic field, finding that they are equivalent. We further discuss the proposals for fermionic fields by Holland and Valentini. In the case of Holland's model we indicate that further work is required in order to show that the model is capable of reproducing the standard quantum predictions. We also consider a similar model, which does not seem to reproduce the standard quantum predictions. In the case of Valentini's model we point out a problem that seems hard to overcome.
The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of recent work on pilot-wave approaches to quantum field theory. In such approaches, systems are not only described by their wave function, as in standard quantum theory, but also by some additional variables. In the non-relativistic pilot-wave theory of deBroglie and Bohm those variables are particle positions. In the context of quantum field theory, there are two natural choices, namely particle positions and fields. The incorporation of those variables makes it possible to provide an objective description of nature in which rather ambiguous notions such as 'measurement' and 'observer' play no fundamental role. As such, the theory is free of the conceptual difficulties, such as the measurement problem, that plague standard quantum theory.
In this thesis we study the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave interpretation of quantum theory. We consider the domain of non-relativistic quantum theory, relativistic quantum theory and quantum field theory, and in each domain we consider the possibility of formulating a pilot-wave interpretation. For non-relativistic quantum theory a pilot-wave interpretation in terms of particle beables can readily be formulated. But this interpretation can in general not straightforwardly be generalized to relativistic wave equations. The problems which prevent us from devising a pilot-wave interpretation for relativistic wave equations also plague the standard quantum mechanical interpretation, where these problems led to the conception of quantum field theory. Therefore most of our attention is focussed on the construction of a pilot-wave interpretation for quantum field theory. We thereby favour the field beable approach, developed amongst others by Bohm, Hiley, Holland, Kaloyerou and Valentini. Although the field beable approach can be successfully applied to bosonic quantum field theory, it seems not straightforward to do so for fermionic quantum field theory.
We present a way to construct a pilot-wave model for quantum electrodynamics. The idea is to introduce beables corresponding only to the bosonic and not to the fermionic degrees of freedom of the quantum state. We show that this is sufficient to reproduce the quantum predictions. The beables will be field beables corresponding to the electromagnetic field and will be introduced in a way similar to that of Bohm's model for the free electromagnetic field. Our approach is analogous to the situation in non-relativistic quantum theory, where Bell treated spin not as a beable but only as a property of the wave function. After presenting this model, we also discuss a simple way for introducing additional beables that represent the fermionic degrees of freedom.
We present a way to construct a pilot‐wave model for quantum field theory. The idea is to introduce beables corresponding only to the bosonic degrees of freedom and not to the fermionic degrees of freedom of the quantum state. We provide an illustration and a justification of this idea in the context of quantum electrodynamics. The beables are fields and correspond to the degrees of freedom of the electromagnetic field. The field beables are introduced in a similar way to that of Bohm’s model for the free electromagnetic field. Our approach is analogous to the situation in non‐relativistic quantum theory, where Bell treated spin not as a beable but only as a property of the wavefunction.