Feynman's Thesis: A New Approach to Quantum TheoryRichard Feynman's never previously published doctoral thesis formed the heart of much of his brilliant and profound work in theoretical physics. Entitled ?The Principle of Least Action in Quantum Mechanics," its original motive was to quantize the classical action-at-a-distance electrodynamics. Because that theory adopted an overall space?time viewpoint, the classical Hamiltonian approach used in the conventional formulations of quantum theory could not be used, so Feynman turned to the Lagrangian function and the principle of least action as his points of departure.The result was the path integral approach, which satisfied ? and transcended ? its original motivation, and has enjoyed great success in renormalized quantum field theory, including the derivation of the ubiquitous Feynman diagrams for elementary particles. Path integrals have many other applications, including atomic, molecular, and nuclear scattering, statistical mechanics, quantum liquids and solids, Brownian motion, and noise theory. It also sheds new light on fundamental issues like the interpretation of quantum theory because of its new overall space?time viewpoint.The present volume includes Feynman's Princeton thesis, the related review article ?Space?Time Approach to Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics? [Reviews of Modern Physics 20 (1948), 367?387], Paul Dirac's seminal paper ?The Lagrangian in Quantum Mechanics'' [Physikalische Zeitschrift der Sowjetunion, Band 3, Heft 1 (1933)], and an introduction by Laurie M Brown. |
Contents
The Principle of Least Action in Quantum Mechanics R P Feynman | 1 |
Spacetime Approach to NonRelativistic Quantum Mechanics R P Feynman | 71 |
The Lagrangian in Quantum Mechanics P A M Dirac | 111 |
Other editions - View all
Feynman's Thesis: A New Approach to Quantum Theory Richard Phillips Feynman No preview available - 1942 |
Common terms and phrases
action function action principle apply calculate classical Lagrangian classical mechanics classical theory consider constant contact transformation coordinates corresponding defined depends described differential Dirac discussed energy equations of motion equivalent example expected value exponential expression Əly factor Feynman finite formulation of quantum given Hamiltonian harmonic oscillator integral integrand interaction intermediate oscillator intermediate q's interval least action limit mathematical matrix element measurement method momentum notation obtained operator P. A. M. Dirac particles path perturbation physical postulate potential principle of least probability amplitude problem qi+1 quantity quantized quantum analogue quantum electrodynamics quantum mechanics quantum theory region relation replaced represent result satisfy simple space-time suppose t₁ T₂ thesis ti+1 ti+1-ti tk+1 tonian transformation function transition element variables vector potential velocities wave function Xi+1 Xk+1 Xk zero