Quantum relaxation in hydrogen eigenstates and two-state transitions

Abstract

The evolution of probability distributions for quantum systems defined by the de Broglie–Bohm causal interpretation of quantum mechanics is examined in the context of whether, in general, a non-|ψ|2 distribution will evolve to approximate a |ψ|2 distribution, as has been suggested by Bohm and others. This study focusses on hydrogen eigenstates and two-state hydrogen transitions stimulated by semi-classical radiation. It is shown that this process of ‘relaxation’ will not in general occur in such hydrogen systems, and thus that the de Broglie–Bohm theory must retain the |ψ|2 postulate if it is to be consistent with the standard quantum theory of individual systems.