The transition from quantum field theory to one-particle quantum mechanics and a proposed interpretation of Aharonov-Bohm effect

TL;DR

This paper derives one-particle quantum mechanics and classical electromagnetic potentials from quantum field theory, offering a new interpretation of the Aharonov-Bohm effect based on virtual photon interactions.

Contribution

It presents a derivation of classical electromagnetic concepts from QFT and proposes a QFT-based explanation for the Aharonov-Bohm effect.

Findings

Classical Maxwell equations derived from QFT scattering processes

Electromagnetic potentials interpreted as approximations within QFT

A QFT-based interpretation of the Aharonov-Bohm effect

Abstract

In this article we demonstrate a sense in which the one-particle quantum mechanics (OPQM) and the classical electromagnetic four-potential arise from quantum field theory (QFT). In addition, the classical Maxwell equations are derived from a QFT scattering process, while both classical electromagnetic fields and potentials serve as mathematical tools to approximate the interactions among elementary particles described by QFT physics. Furthermore, a plausible interpretation of the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect is raised within the QFT framework. We provide a quantum treatment of the source of electromagnetic potentials and argue that the underlying mechanism in the AB effect can be understood via interactions among electrons described by QFT where the interactions are mediated by virtual photons.