A one-particle time of arrival operator for a free relativistic spin-0 charged particle in (1+1) dimensions

TL;DR

This paper develops a one-particle time of arrival operator for a relativistic spin-0 particle in (1+1) dimensions, demonstrating its properties, eigenfunctions, and the particle's arrival time distribution.

Contribution

It introduces a new TOA operator for relativistic particles, analyzes its eigenfunctions, and explores the particle's localization and arrival time distribution.

Findings

Eigenfunctions form a complete, non-orthogonal set.

Eigenfunctions become localized at the origin at their eigenvalues.

Derived the TOA probability distribution for initial states.

Abstract

We construct a one-particle TOA operator $\mathcal{\hat{T}}$ canonically conjugate with the Hamiltonian describing a free, charged, spin-$0$, relativistic particle in one spatial dimension and show that it is maximally symmetric. We solve for its eigenfunctions and show that they form a complete and non-orthogonal set. Plotting the time evolution of their corresponding probability densities, it implies that the eigenfunctions become more localized at the origin at the time equal to their eigenvalues. That is, a particle being described by an eigenfunction of $\mathcal{\hat{T}}$ is in a state of definite arrival time at the origin and at the corresponding eigenvalue. We also calculate the TOA probability distribution of a particle in some initial state.