Arrival time and Bohmian Mechanics: It is the theory which decides what we can measure

TL;DR

This paper examines proposals to measure quantum particle arrival times within Bohmian mechanics, clarifying their measurability and compatibility with no-signalling constraints, and resolving debates among researchers.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of recent measurement proposals in Bohmian mechanics and clarifies their implications for quantum measurement and nonlocality.

Findings

DD's predictions are measurable in principle

Proposals do not violate no-signalling theorem

Clarifies the debate on arrival time measurements

Abstract

In this work we analyze recent proposals by Das and D\"{u}rr (DD) to measure the arrival time distributions of quantum particles within the framework of de Broglie Bohm theory (or Bohmian mechanics). We also analyze the criticisms made by Goldstein Tumulka and Zangh\`{i} (GTZ) of these same proposals, and show that each protagonist is both right and wrong. In fine, we show that DD's predictions are indeed measurable in principle, but that they will not lead to violations of the no-signalling theorem used in Bell's theorem, in contradiction with some of Das and Maudlin's hopes.