English

How uncertainty enables non-classical dynamics

Quantum Physics 2014-08-12 v2

Abstract

The uncertainty principle limits quantum states such that when one observable takes predictable values there must be some other mutually unbiased observables which take uniformly random values. We show that this restrictive condition plays a positive role as the enabler of non-classical dynamics in an interferometer. First we note that instantaneous action at a distance between different paths of an interferometer should not be possible. We show that for general probabilistic theories this heavily curtails the non-classical dynamics. We prove that there is a trade-off with the uncertainty principle, that allows theories to evade this restriction. On one extreme, non-classical theories with maximal certainty have their non-classical dynamics absolutely restricted to only the identity operation. On the other extreme, quantum theory minimises certainty in return for maximal non-classical dynamics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1206.5702,
  title  = {How uncertainty enables non-classical dynamics},
  author = {Oscar C. O. Dahlsten and Andrew J. P. Garner and Vlatko Vedral},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1206.5702},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

4 pages + 4 page technical supplement, 2 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-21T21:25:01.207Z