A Novel Radiation to Test Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

TL;DR

This paper proposes that if Bohmian mechanics is correct, electrons should emit a specific radiation pattern during quantum experiments, providing a testable difference from standard quantum mechanics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel radiation mechanism predicted by Bohmian theory, offering a new experimental approach to test the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Findings

Predicted radiation spectrum in double-slit experiment

Distinct radiation pattern complementary to electron interference

Implications for validating or falsifying Bohmian mechanics

Abstract

We point out that a new mechanism for radiation should exist if the Bohm theory of quantum mechanics is taken seriously. By traversing a quantum potential, an electron will necessarily be accelerated and radiate. For an illustration, we show that in the double-slit experiment this radiation yields a characteristic spectrum and a distinct pattern on the screen that is complementary to the pattern of the electrons. Experimentally, either the existence or the nonexistence of such a radiation would have important implications for the foundations of quantum mechanics.