English

Complementarity in categorical quantum mechanics

Quantum Physics 2016-03-03 v2 Mathematical Physics Category Theory math.MP

Abstract

We relate notions of complementarity in three layers of quantum mechanics: (i) von Neumann algebras, (ii) Hilbert spaces, and (iii) orthomodular lattices. Taking a more general categorical perspective of which the above are instances, we consider dagger monoidal kernel categories for (ii), so that (i) become (sub)endohomsets and (iii) become subobject lattices. By developing a `point-free' definition of copyability we link (i) commutative von Neumann subalgebras, (ii) classical structures, and (iii) Boolean subalgebras.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1009.2007,
  title  = {Complementarity in categorical quantum mechanics},
  author = {Chris Heunen},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1009.2007},
  year   = {2016}
}

Comments

15 pages; removed incorrect lemma and its dependents

R2 v1 2026-06-21T16:12:19.027Z