Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Violation of Einstein causality in a model quantum system

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)
A series of theorems have been proved showing that localization in quantum mechanics is inconsistent with Einstein causality. In this paper a simple model of a localized source and a localized detector is studied. This model does not satisfy the assumptions of the rigorous theorems; nonetheless, it is found that the model violates Einstein causality. The effect is very small and resides in the nonresonant part of the transition probability.
Research Organization:
Department of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Catonsville, Maryland 21228
OSTI ID:
6136393
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 35:12; ISSN PRVDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Causality principle in the problem of reduction to a single time in quantum field theory
Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Theor. Math. Phys.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5869206

Causality problems for Fermi's two-atom system
Journal Article · Sun Jan 30 23:00:00 EST 1994 · Physical Review Letters; (United States) · OSTI ID:5214020

Causal quantum theory and the collapse locality loophole
Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review. A · OSTI ID:20718298