The strange (hi)story of particles and waves
This is an attempt of a non-technical but conceptually consistent presentation of quantum theory in a historical context. While the first part is written for a general readership, Section 5 may appear a bit provocative to some quantum physicists. I argue that the single-particle wave functions of qu...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2016-1-20
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| In: |
Zeitschrift für Naturforschung. A, a journal of physical sciences
Year: 2016, Volume: 71, Issue: 3, Pages: 195-212 |
| ISSN: | 1865-7109 |
| DOI: | 10.1515/zna-2015-0509 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1515/zna-2015-0509 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/zna-2015-0509/html 
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| Author Notes: | H. Dieter Zeh |
| Summary: | This is an attempt of a non-technical but conceptually consistent presentation of quantum theory in a historical context. While the first part is written for a general readership, Section 5 may appear a bit provocative to some quantum physicists. I argue that the single-particle wave functions of quantum mechanics have to be correctly interpreted as field modes that are “occupied once” (i.e. first excited states of the corresponding quantum oscillators in the case of boson fields). Multiple excitations lead to apparent many-particle wave functions, while the quantum states proper are defined by wave function(al)s on the “configuration” space of fundamental fields, or on another, as yet elusive, fundamental local basis. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 04.10.2021 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1865-7109 |
| DOI: | 10.1515/zna-2015-0509 |