Inequivalence of stochastic and Bohmian arrival times in time-of-flight experiments
arXiv:2405.06324 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.109.063312
Abstract
Motivated by a recent prediction [Com. Phys., 6, 195 (2023)] that time-of-flight experiments with ultracold atoms could test different interpretations of quantum mechanics, this work investigates the arrival times predicted by the stochastic interpretation, whereby quantum particles follow definite but non-deterministic and non-differentiable trajectories. The distribution of arrival times is obtained from a Fokker-Planck equation, and confirmed by direct simulation of trajectories. It is found to be in general different from the distribution predicted by the Bohmian interpretation, in which quantum particles follow definite deterministic and differentiable trajectories. This result suggests that trajectory-based interpretations of quantum mechanics could be experimentally discriminated.
arXiv comment12 pages, 6 figures. Changes from v1: a few typos were corrected
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