On first-arrival-time distributions for a Dirac electron in 1+1 dimensions

Abstract

For the special case of freely evolving Dirac electrons in $1+1$ dimensions, Feynman checkerboard paths have previously been used to derive Wigner's arrival-time distribution which includes all arrivals. Here, an attempt is made to use these paths to determine the corresponding distribution of first-arrival times. Simple analytic expressions are obtained for the relevant components of the first-arrival propagator. These are used to investigate the relative importance of the first-arrival contribution to the Wigner arrival-time distribution and of the contribution arising from interference between first and later (i.e. second, third, ...) arrivals. It is found that a distribution of (intrinsic) first-arrival times for a Dirac electron cannot in general be consistently defined using checkerboard paths, not even approximately in the nonrelativistic regime.

12 pages, 7 figures, (revtex4)