The Geometric Origin of the Quantum Potential in Complex Spacetime
Background: The unification of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics represents a fundamental challenge in theoretical physics due to their mutually exclusive conceptual foundations: continuous deterministic geometry versus probabilistic wave functions. While the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave theory offers a deterministic, trajectory-based alternative to the standard probabilistic framework, it introduces a non-local, ad-hoc "Quantum Potential" (Q) to account for phenomena such as interference and non-locality. The lack of a geometric origin for Q in standard spacetime remains a significant conceptual barrier to a fully unified theory. Purpose: This paper aims to resolve this interpretational crisis by proposing that the Quantum Potential is not a fundamental or mysterious external force, but rather a derived geometric artifact. We postulate that the physical universe is fundamentally a 4-dimensional Complex Manifold (ℂ<sup>4</sup>), extending the standard Riemannian spacetime manifold to include imaginary coordinates. Methods: To establish this geometric basis, we treat the quantum wave function not as an abstract probabilistic amplitude, but as a physical, holomorphic map describing a particle's deterministic trajectory through this complex spacetime. Utilizing the Cauchy-Riemann conditions, we demonstrate that the Bohmian amplitude (R) is strictly coupled to the particle's location in the imaginary dimension. We then analyze the dynamics of particles following geodesics within ℂ<sup>4</sup>. By projecting the complex geodesic equation of motion onto the observable real slice (ℝ<sup>4</sup>), we separate the real and imaginary components of the complex 4-velocity to observe the energy balance. Conclusions: Our derivation reveals that the Quantum Potential (Q) emerges naturally and is mathematically identical to the kinetic energy component associated with a particle's hidden motion in these imaginary dimensions. This formulation successfully recovers the predictions of the Schrödinger equation while removing the ad-hoc nature of Bohmian mechanics. Furthermore, it interprets quantum non-locality—such as the interference observed in the double-slit experiment—as purely local, deterministic geodesic motion around topological singularities in a curved complex manifold. Ultimately, this framework provides a unified geometric description wherein gravity is the curvature of real coordinates, electromagnetism is the torsion of imaginary coordinates, and quantum mechanics is inertial motion through this complex geometry.
Authors
- Bhushan Poojary (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5122-0236)
Institutions
- NIMS University (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- American Journal of Modern Physics
- Published
- 2026-04-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmp.20261502.16
- Primary Topic
- Quantum Mechanics and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00