Schroedinger current for discontinuous states from the first passage time decomposition

Abstract

We revisit the problem of calculating the probability current for discontinuous states, such that may arise in atom trapping or as a result of projective measurements. In the first passage time representation, the problem reduces to evaluation of a localised wave originating from the discontinuity, whose interference with the initial state determines the transfer of probability. Depending on the type of discontinuity, the current behaves as $t^{1/2}$, $t^{3/2}$ or $const(t)$. Our approach generalises earlier work on this subject.