On the Superluminal Quantum Tunneling and "Causality Violation"

TL;DR

This paper critically examines superluminal quantum tunneling, arguing that claims of faster-than-light signaling are based on misinterpretations and introducing attenuation as a key factor preserving causality.

Contribution

It provides a new interpretation of quantum tunneling phenomena, clarifies misconceptions about superluminal signaling, and discusses the role of attenuation in maintaining causality.

Findings

Superluminal signaling claims are based on misinterpretations.

Attenuation plays a crucial role in preserving causality.

Quantum tunneling features are clarified and reinterpreted.

Abstract

This is an analysis of some aspects of an old but still controversial topic, superluminal quantum tunneling. Some features of quantum tunneling described in literature, such as definition of the tunneling time and a frequency range of a signal, are discussed. The argument is presented that claim of superluminal signaling allegedly observed in frustrated internal reflection experiment was based on the wrong interpretation of the tunneling process. A thought experiment similar to that in the Tolman paradox is discussed. It shows that a new factor, attenuation, comes in the interplay between tunneled signals and macroscopic causality.