Guiding Waves in Quantum Mechanics : One Hundred Years of de Broglie-Bohm Pilot-Wave Theory

The book deals with the history, philosophy and foundations of quantum mechanics. In particular, it is about the pilot-wave theory created by de Broglie and Bohm. The authors of the various chapters speak about this theory from different angles: historical, philosophical and technical (physics and applications).

The pilot-wave theory developed by de Broglie and Bohm has a special place in the history of contemporary physics, being the very first alternative formulation of quantum mechanics. As is well-known, such a framework established itself as a leading interpretation of the quantum formalism, representing a solution to the major technical and conceptual challenges affecting the orthodox view. Indeed, the de Broglie-Bohm theory not only solves the famous measurement problem, one of the most cogent issues faced by standard quantum mechanics, but it also clarifies the formal structure of the latter theory as a consequence of a consistent set of principles and a precise, unambiguous ontology. This volume aims to provide the reader with a discussion of the pilot-wave perspective, which is as informative, comprehensive and accessible as possible, while at the same time clarifying confusions and misunderstandings that are unfortunately still common, despite the long history of this theoretical framework. The book features chapters about the various perspectives on the pilot-wave theory, its extensions to relativity and quantum field theory, and its experimental applications to various branches of physics, such as quantum electrodynamics, quantum chemistry, and quantum engineering. Moreover, the volume includes essays on the history and philosophy of the de Broglie-Bohm theory in order to delineate its developments and the vicissitudes of its pioneers, as well as to understand the scientific image of the universe it provides.