Related papers: What was in the apparatus before the click
A complete apparatus is defined as reacting to every state of the measured system. Standard quantum mechanics of indistinguishable particles is shown to imply that apparatuses must be incomplete or else they would be drowned out by noise.…
Complementarity, that is the ability of a quantum object to behave either as a particle or as a wave, is one of the most intriguing features of quantum mechanics. An exemplary Gedanken experiment, emphasizing such a measurement-dependent…
The wave-particle duality is the main point of demarcation between quantum and classical physics, and is the quintessential mystery of quantum mechanics. Young's two-slit interference experiment is the arch prototype of actual and gedanken…
According to the wave-particle duality (WPD), quantum systems show both particle- and wave-like behavior, and cannot be described using only one of these classical concepts. Identifying quantum features that cannot be reproduced by any…
The traditional analysis of the basic version of the double-slit experiment leads to the conclusion that wave-particle duality is a fundamental fact of nature. However, such a conclusion means to imply that we are not only required to have…
A phase space formulation of the filtering process upon an incident quantum state is developed. This formulation can explain the results of both quantum interference and delayed-choice experiments without making use of the controversial…
In the foundation of quantum mechanics, the spatial dimensions of electron wavepacket are understood only in terms of an expectation value - the probability distribution of the particle location. One can still inquire how the quantum…
Two-particle scattering probabilities in tunneling scenarios with exchange interaction are analyzed with quasi-particle wave packets. Two initial one-particle wave packets (with opposite central momentums) are spatially localized at each…
Interference is one of the most fundamental features which characterizes quantum systems. Here we provide an exhaustive analysis of the interfere dynamics associated with wave-packet superpositions from both the standard quantum-mechanical…
Quantum physics is a linear theory, so it is somewhat puzzling that it can underlie very complex systems such as digital computers and life. This paper investigates how this is possible. Physically, such complex systems are necessarily…
The transfer of information from one part of a quantum system to another is fundamental to the understanding and design of quantum information processing devices. In the realm of discrete systems such as spin chains, inhomogeneous networks…
Complementarity lies at the heart of conceptual foundation of orthodox quantum mechanics. The wave-particle duality makes it impossible to tell which slit each particle passes through and still observe an interference pattern in a Young's…
Coherence lengths of one particle states described by quantum wave functions are studied. We show that one particle states in various situations are not described by simple plane waves but are described by wave packets that are…
The connection between the problem of scattering a particle on a one-dimensional $\delta$-potential with the "Einstein's boxes" thought experiment is shown. In both cases, the validity of the superposition principle is limited by Einstein's…
The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of a wave-packet collapse induced by topological disconnectivity, based on the discussions of the wave-corpuscle duality. Several experimental suggestions are proposed to test this…
Quantum transients are temporary features of matter waves before they reach a stationary regime. Transients may arise after the preparation of an unstable initial state or due to a sudden interaction or a change in the boundary conditions.…
Within the class of ontological interpretations of quantum theory where a physical system comprises a particle and a field (wavefunction) guiding it, an empty wave is a segment of the wavefunction not containing the particle. We examine the…
Recently, it has been argued that quantum mechanics is a complete theory, and that different quantum states do necessarily correspond to different elements of reality, under the assumptions that quantum mechanics is correct and that…
Normalized wave packets express particles in nature. Their sizes are determined by their interactions with matter, and depend on environments. Nevertheless, these characterize scatterings processes in realistic situations, and govern the…
We investigate the problem of distinguishing between separable and entangled states of two quantum wave packets, one of which falls into a black hole. Intuitively, one might expect the two scenarios to be indistinguishable, since the…