English

Tunneling photons pose no challenge to Bohmian mechanics

Quantum Physics 2026-04-29 v3

Abstract

Very recently, Sharoglazova et al. performed an experiment measuring the energy-velocity relationship and Bohmian velocity in coupled waveguides. Their data show a discrepancy between the semi-classical `speed' v=2Δ/mv=\sqrt{2|\Delta|/m} and Bohmian velocity vsv_s for Δ<J0\Delta<-\hbar J_0, leading them to claim a challenge to Bohmian mechanics. Here, we definitively demonstrate this experiment poses no challenge to Bohmian mechanics. First, vv and vSv_S represent fundamentally distinct physical quantities -- comparing them is physically unjustified and cannot adjudicate between Copenhagen and Bohmian interpretations. Second, we rigorously show that both interpretations predict identical photon tunneling dynamics in coupled waveguides.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.20101,
  title  = {Tunneling photons pose no challenge to Bohmian mechanics},
  author = {Yun-Fei Wang and Xiao-Yu Wang and Hui Wang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.20101},
  year   = {2026}
}

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