Localizing the relativistic electron

DOI10.1088/0305-4470/32/34/302MaRDI QIDQ4947750zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors A. J. Bracken, G. F. Melloy

Publication date 25 April 2000

Published in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9903087

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05)

Abstract: A causally well-behaved solution of the localization problem for the free electron is given, with natural space-time transformation properties, in terms of Dirac's position operator. It is shown that, although this operator does not represent an observable in the usual sense, and has no positive-energy (generalized) eigenstates, the associated 4-vector density is observable, and can be localized arbitrarily precisely about any point in space, at any instant of time, using only positive-energy states. A suitable spin operator can be diagonalized at the same time.

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Cited in

(11)

• Nonlocalization of electrons in movement
• Non localization of free electrons
• Localization and causality for a free particle
• Quantum mechanics of Klein-Gordon fields. II: Relativistic coherent states
• Localization of the essential spectrum for relativistic N-electron ions and atoms
• Relativistic effects and rigorous limits for discrete- and continuous-time quantum walks
• Space-time localization of the radiation emitted by an electromagnetically driven charge and the question of the position of an electron
• Natural geometric representation for electron local observables
• Time-evolution of highly localized positive-energy states of the free Dirac electron
• Causal localizations in relativistic quantum mechanics
• Positive-definite states of a Klein-Gordon-type particle

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