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On first-arrival-time distributions for a Dirac electron in 1+1 dimensions

D. Alonso·R. Sala Mayato·C. R. Leavens
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Abstract

For the special case of freely evolving Dirac electrons in $1 + 1$ dimensions, Feynman checkerboard paths have previously been used to derive Wigner's arrival-time distribution which includes all arrivals. Here, an attempt is made to use these paths to determine the corresponding distribution of first-arrival times. Simple analytic expressions are obtained for the relevant components of the first-arrival propagator. These are used to investigate the relative importance of the first-arrival contribution to the Wigner arrival-time distribution and of the contribution arising from interference between first and later (i.e. second, third, ...) arrivals. It is found that a distribution of (intrinsic) first-arrival times for a Dirac electron cannot in general be consistently defined using checkerboard paths, not even approximately in the nonrelativistic regime.

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D. Alonso, R. Sala Mayato, C. R. Leavens. 2002-06-12. On first-arrival-time distributions for a Dirac electron in 1+1 dimensions. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.66.042108

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