Conceptual Inadequacy of the Shannon Information in Quantum Measurements
Abstract
In a classical measurement the Shannon information is a natural measure of our ignorance about properties of a system. There, observation removes that ignorance in revealing properties of the system which can be considered to preexist prior to and independent of observation. Because of the completely different root of a quantum measurement as compared to a classical measurement conceptual difficulties arise when we try to define the information gain in a quantum measurement using the notion of Shannon information. The reason is that, in contrast to classical measurement, quantum measurement, with very few exceptions, cannot be claimed to reveal a property of the individual quantum system existing before the measurement is performed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0006087,
title = {Conceptual Inadequacy of the Shannon Information in Quantum Measurements},
author = {Caslav Brukner and Anton Zeilinger},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0006087},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
11 pages, 5 figures, important Ref. [6] is now cited in all appropriate places