Quantum Potential - Properties

Properties

Hiley emphasised several aspects that regard the quantum potential of a quantum particle:

• it is derived mathematically from the real part of the Schrödinger equation under polar decomposition of the wave function, is not derived from a Hamiltonian or other external source, and could be said to be involved in a self-organising process involving a basic underlying field;
• it does not change if is multiplied by a constant, as this term is also present in the denominator, so that is independent of the magnitude of and thus of field intensity; therefore, the quantum potential fulfils a precondition for nonlocality: it need not fall off as distance increases;
• it carries information about the whole experimental arrangement in which the particle finds itself.

In 1979, Hiley and his co-workers Philippidis and Dewdney presented a full calculation on the explanation of the two-slit experiment in terms of Bohmian trajectories that arise for each particle moving under the influence of the quantum potential, resulting in the well-known interference patterns.

Also the shift of the interference pattern which occurs in presence of a magnetic field in the Aharonov-Bohm effect could be explained as arising from the quantum potential.