On Reality of Tachyonic de Broglie Waves

TL;DR

This paper explores the tachyonic nature of de Broglie waves, proposing they are real and integral to quantum physics, extending complementarity to include tachyons, and clarifying misconceptions about their nonrelativistic limits.

Contribution

It introduces a novel view that de Broglie waves are real tachyons and extends the complementarity principle to relate bradyons and tachyons within quantum and relativistic frameworks.

Findings

Tachyons are argued to be pervasive, not point-like.

A complementary relation between bradyons and tachyons is proposed.

Clarification of misconceptions about the nonrelativistic limit of de Broglie relations.

Abstract

We investigate the tachyonic nature of the de Broglie matter waves associated with a free quantum object to show that granting reality to them would lend completeness to the quantum description of reality. Basing on the robustness of the well known Einstein-de Broglie reciprocal relation between the phase and the particle velocities, we extend the concept of complementarity to them and thereby propose a complementary relation between a bradyon and its corresponding tachyon (i.e. the associated matter wave) to endow the tachyons with a degree of reality, at least on par with the bradyons, within the current framework of quantum physics and extended relativity. The duality is used to argue that because of the observed localised nature of bradyons, tachyons should always be pervasive or global in character and thus, there can be no point-like tachyons. A common misconception regarding the nonrelativistic limit of the Einstein-de Broglie relation is pointed out and the consequent error of long standing is remedied.