Work

Microcausality and tunneling times in relativistic quantum field theory

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: We show, in the framework of a space-time resolved relativistic quantum field theory approach to tunneling, that microcausality precludes superluminal tunneling dynamics. More specifically in this work dealing with Dirac and Klein-Gordon fields, we first prove that microcausality holds for such fields in the presence of a background potential. We then use this result to show that an intervention performed on a localized region of an initial wave packet subsequently scattering on a potential barrier does not result in any effect outside the light cone emanating from that region. We illustrate these results with numerical computations for Dirac fermions and Klein-Gordon bosons.

Source: Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

DOI: 10.1103/4sh5-d838

Authors: M. Alkhateeb, A. Matzkin

Institutions: University of Namur, Namur Institute of Structured Matter, University of Plymouth, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Mechanics and Applications

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: European Commission, H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Awards: Connect with Wallonia - Come 2 Wallonia, Connect with Wallonia - Come 2 Wallonia