Abstract
We show that the Schrödinger equation can be derived assuming the Galilean covariance of a generic wave equation and the validity of the de Broglie's wave-particle duality hypothesis. We also obtain from this set of assumptions the transformation law for the wave function under a Galilean boost and prove that complex wave functions are unavoidable for a consistent description of a physical system. The extension to the relativistic domain of the above analysis is also provided. We show that Lorentz covariance and wave-particle duality are consistent with two different transformation laws for the wave function under a Lorentz boost. This leads to two different wave equations, namely, the Klein-Gordon equation and the Lorentz covariant Schrödinger equation.
- Received 13 March 2024
- Accepted 26 April 2024
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.109.052209
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