FEYNMAN-INTEGRALS WITH ABSORBING BOUNDARIES

We propose a formulation of an absorbing boundary for a quantum partic le. The formulation is based on a Feynman-type integral over trajector ies that are confined to the non-absorbing region. Trajectories that r each the absorbing wall are discounted from the population of the surv iving trajectories with a certain weighting factor. Under the assumpti on that absorbed trajectories do not interfere with the surviving traj ectories, we obtain a time-dependent absorption law. Two examples are worked out. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.