Related papers: Complementary observables in quantum mechanics
One of the milestones of quantum mechanics is Bohr's complementarity principle. It states that a single quantum can exhibit a particle-like \emph{or} a wave-like behaviour, but never both at the same time. These are mutually exclusive and…
We start with a discussion of the use of mathematics to model the real world then justify the role of Hilbert space formalism for such modelling in the general context of quantum logic. Following this, the incompleteness of the…
Complementarity is a phenomenon explaining several core features of quantum theory, such as the well-known uncertainty principle. Roughly speaking, two objects are said to be complementary if being certain about one of them necessarily…
One of the most remarkable features of quantum physics is that attributes of quantum objects, such as the wave-like and particle-like behaviors of single photons, can be complementary in the sense that they are equally real but cannot be…
We discuss the distinction between the notion of partial observable and the notion of complete observable. Mixing up the two is frequently a source of confusion. The distinction bears on several issues related to observability, such as (i)…
Paul Busch has emphasized on various occasions the importance for physics of going beyond a merely instrumentalist view of quantum mechanics. Even if we cannot be sure that any particular realist interpretation describes the world as it…
In quantum physics we are confronted with new entities which consist indivisible of an energy packet and a coupled wave. The complementarity principle for certain properties of these quantum objects may be their main mystery. Photons are…
We have developed a theory for accessing quantum coherences in mutually unbiased bases associated with generalized Pauli operators in multiphoton multimode linear optics networks (LONs). We show a way to construct complementary Pauli…
Bohr's principle of complementarity lies at the central place of quantum mechanics, according to which the light is chosen to behave as a wave or particles, depending on some exclusive detecting devices. Later, intermediate cases are found,…
Quantum coherence quantifies the amount of superposition in a quantum system, and is the reason and resource behind several phenomena and technologies. It depends on the natural basis in which the quantum state of the system is expressed,…
For any ideal two-path interferometer it is shown that the wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics implies Heisenberg's uncertainty relation and vice versa. It is conjectured that complementarity and uncertainty are two aspects of the…
The uncertainty principle bounds the uncertainties about incompatible measurements, clearly setting quantum theory apart from the classical world. Its mathematical formulation via uncertainty relations, plays an irreplaceable role in…
There is presented a contextual statistical model of the probabilistic description of physical reality. Here contexts (complexes of physical conditions) are considered as basic elements of reality. There is discussed the relation with QM.…
The concept of intrinsic and operational observables in quantum mechanics is introduced. It is argued that, in any realistic description of a quantum measurement that includes a detecting device, it is possible to construct from the…
Quantum theory brings into question the compatibility of the twin desiderata of exact knowability of the present state of the physical world and perfect predictability of its future states. Bohr's coordination-causality complementarity…
The history of complementary observables and mutual unbiased bases is reviewed. A characterization is given in terms of conditional entropy of subalgebras. The concept of complementarity is extended to non-commutative subalgebras.…
In this paper we attempt to provide a physical representation of quantum superpositions. For this purpose we discuss the constraints of the quantum formalism to the notion of possibility and the necessity to consider a potential realm…
In this work we discuss the notion of observable - both quantum and classical - from a new point of view. In classical mechanics, an observable is represented as a function (measurable, continuous or smooth), whereas in (von Neumann's…
Quantum-mechanical observables for spatial and spacetime localization are considered from a lattice-theoretic perspective. It is shown that when replacing the lattice of all complex orthogonal projections underlying the Born rule by the…
In the Copenhagen interpretation the Heisenberg uncertainty relation is interpreted as the mathematical expression of the concept of complementarity, quantifying the mutual disturbance necessarily taking place in a simultaneous or joint…