Nonlinear Spinor Fields: Toward a Field Theory of the Electron.

Nonlinear Dirac equations exhibiting soliton phenomena are studied. Conditions are derived for the existence of solitons and an analysis of their stability is presented. New results are obtained for models previously considered in the literature. A particular model is studied for which all stationary states are localized in a finite domain and have positive energy but indefinite charge. The electromagnetic field is introduced by minimal coupling and it is shown that the discrete nature of the electric charge, and of the angular momentum, follow from a many-body stability principle. This principle also implies the de Broglie frequency relation, and furnishes an expression for the fine structure constant. The resulting charged soliton is tentatively identified with the electron.