Max Born's 1926 Paper: Probability Amplitude Interpretation and Controversy

[Varon]

Has anyone read Max Born paper in 1926 where he proposed about the probability amplitude interpretation of the wave function? The original paper is in german. Did he mention that that "Psi is the probability amplitude for an electron in the state n to scatter into the direction m, it is, in a sense, it's own intensity wave. When it is squared and the absolute value is taken, it turns out to be a physical probability of the associated particle's presence."?

Did Born specifically mention the probability amplitude is for single particle or for an ensemble? I assume that this automatically translate to wave function idea of a single particle. Fredrik criticised that the quantum Godfathers shouldn't have stated that the state vector is for a single particle but instead should be for the ensemble. The former entails wave function collapse, the latter has no collapse.

Do you agree Born made a mistake in attributing it to single system or particle? Why didn't Born propose that it's for an ensemble? Who influenced him and what's the arguments?

 

[Varon]

The gist is that de Broglie made a mistake in thinking the wave was a solid wave. Even Schroedinger made a mistake thinking the wave was a charge and mass density. Hence some think Max also made a mistake in attributing the wave function probability interpretation to single system or particle instead of ensemble (but did he specifically state this in his Nobel winning 1926 paper?)

 

[Geremia]

For a good article on this, read http://www.sciencemag.org/content/218/4578/1193.abstract" , too (free).