2003/06/30 by Md. Manirul Ali, A. S. Majumdar, Dipankar Home +3
Computer Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Arrival time #Current (fluid) #Dirac (video compression format) #Dirac equation #Limit (mathematics) #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Observable #Physics #Probability current #Probability distribution #Quantum #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum mechanics #Quantum optics and atomic interactions #Spin (aerodynamics) #Statistics #Time of arrival #Uniqueness #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreva.68.042105
published as Phys. Rev. A68, 042105 (2003) · 5 Latex pages, 2.eps figures; discussions sharpened and references added; accepted for publication in Physical Review A
arxiv created 2003/09/15 · openalex publication_date 2003/10/09 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The mean arrival time of free particles is computed using the quantum-mechanical probability current. This is uniquely determined in the nonrelativistic limit of Dirac equation, although the Schr"odinger probability current has an inherent nonuniqueness. Since the Dirac probability current contains a spin-dependent term, an arrival time distribution based on the probability current shows an observable spin-dependent effect, even for free particles. This arises essentially from relativistic quantum dynamics, but persists even in the nonrelativistic regime.