This is a list of this week’s papers on quantum foundations published in various journals or uploaded to preprint servers such as arxiv.org and PhilSci Archive.
Realization of an entanglement-assisted quantum delayed-choice experiment
on 2015-8-28 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): Tao Xin, Hang Li, Bi-Xue Wang, and Gui-Lu Long
The puzzling properties of quantum mechanics, i.e., wave-particle duality, entanglement, and superposition, have been dissected experimentally over the past decades. However, hidden-variable (HV) models based on three classical assumptions of wave-particle objectivity, determinism, and independence …
[Phys. Rev. A 92, 022126] Published Fri Aug 28, 2015
Five Measurement Bases Determine Pure Quantum States on Any Dimension
PRL: General Physics: Statistical and Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Information, etc.
on 2015-8-28 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): D. Goyeneche, G. Cañas, S. Etcheverry, E. S. Gómez, G. B. Xavier, G. Lima, and A. Delgado
A long-standing problem in quantum mechanics is the minimum number of observables required for the characterization of unknown pure quantum states. The solution to this problem is especially important for the developing field of high-dimensional quantum information processing. In this work we demons…
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 090401] Published Fri Aug 28, 2015
on 2015-8-28 1:23am GMT
Authors: Valter Moretti (Trento U.)
This paper collects and extends the lectures given by the author at the “XXIV International Fall Workshop on Geometry and Physics” held in Zaragoza (Spain) during September 2015. Within these lectures I review the formulation of Quantum Mechanics, and quantum theories in general, from a mathematically advanced viewpoint, essentially based on the orthomodular lattice of elementary propositions, discussing some fundamental ideas, mathematical tools and theorems also related to the representation of physical symmetries. The final step consists of an elementary introduction the so-called (C*-) algebraic formulation of quantum theories.
String Theory and Math: Why This Marriage May Last. (arXiv:1508.06642v1 [hep-th])
on 2015-8-28 1:23am GMT
Authors: Mina Aganagic
String theory is changing the relationship between mathematics and physics. The central role is played by the phenomenon of duality, which is intrinsic to quantum physics and abundant in string theory.
Bell inequalities with retarded settings. (arXiv:1508.06900v1 [quant-ph])
on 2015-8-28 1:23am GMT
Authors: Lucien Hardy
We consider retarded settings in the context of a Bell-type experiment. The retarded setting is defined as the value the setting would have taken were it not for some external intervention (for example, by a human). We derive retarded Bell inequalities that explicitly take into account the retarded settings. These inequalities are not violated by Quantum Theory (or any other theory) when the retarded settings are equal to the actual settings. We construct a simple model that reproduces Quantum Theory when the retarded and actual settings are equal, but violates it when they are not. We discuss using humans to choose the settings in this type of experiment and the implications of a violation of Quantum Theory (in agreement with the retarded Bell inequalities) in this context.
on 2015-8-28 1:23am GMT
Authors: H. Dieter Zeh
Rovelli’s argument against the realistic interpretation of quantum states and in favor of an ontology of quantum events is refuted.
Intrinsic randomness as a measure of quantum coherence
on 2015-8-27 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): Xiao Yuan, Hongyi Zhou, Zhu Cao, and Xiongfeng Ma
Based on the theory of quantum mechanics, intrinsic randomness in measurement distinguishes quantum effects from classical ones. From the perspective of states, this quantum feature can be summarized as coherence or superposition in a specific (classical) computational basis. Recently, by regarding …
[Phys. Rev. A 92, 022124] Published Thu Aug 27, 2015
Diffraction-Unlimited Position Measurement of Ultracold Atoms in an Optical Lattice
on 2015-8-26 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): Yuto Ashida and Masahito Ueda
Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice could be imaged on length scales below the diffraction limit by tracking the collapse of the system’s many-body wavefunction.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 095301] Published Wed Aug 26, 2015
on 2015-8-26 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): Andrew Carlisle, Hyukjoon Kwon, Hyunseok Jeong, Alessandro Ferraro, and Mauro Paternostro
Optomechanics is currently believed to provide a promising route towards the achievement of genuine quantum effects at the large, massive-system scale. By using a recently proposed figure of merit that is well suited to address continuous-variable systems, in this paper we analyze the requirements n…
[Phys. Rev. A 92, 022123] Published Wed Aug 26, 2015
on 2015-8-25 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): L. I. Plimak, Misha Ivanov, A. Aiello, and S. Stenholm
Quantum electrodynamics under conditions of distinguishability of interacting matter entities, and of controlled actions and back-actions between them, is considered. Such “mesoscopic quantum electrodynamics” is shown to share its dynamical structure with the classical stochastic electrodynamics. In…
[Phys. Rev. A 92, 022122] Published Tue Aug 25, 2015
on 2015-8-25 9:11am GMT
Authors: Mario Novello, Eduardo Bittencourt
We present an overview of recent developments concerning modifications of the geometry of space-time to describe various physical processes of interactions among classical and quantum configurations. We concentrate in two main lines of research: the Metric Relativity and the Dynamical Bridge.
Relational Quantum Cosmology. (arXiv:1508.05543v1 [physics.hist-ph])
on 2015-8-25 9:11am GMT
Authors: Francesca Vidotto
The application of quantum theory to cosmology raises a number of conceptual questions, such as the role of the quantum-mechanical notion of “observer” or the absence of a time variable in the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. I point out that a relational formulation of quantum mechanics, and more in general the observation that evolution is always relational, provides a coherent solution to this tangle of problems.
on 2015-8-25 9:11am GMT
Authors: Carlo Rovelli
Testable predictions of quantum mechanics are invariant under time reversal. But the change of the quantum state in time is not so, neither in the collapse nor in the no-collapse interpretations of the theory. This fact challenges the realistic interpretation of the quantum state. On the other hand, this fact follows easily if we interpret the quantum state as a mere calculation device, bookkeeping past real quantum events. The same conclusion follows from the analysis of the meaning of the wave function in the semiclassical regime.
On uniqueness of quantum measurement theory. (arXiv:1508.05760v1 [quant-ph])
on 2015-8-25 9:11am GMT
Authors: Mikhail G. Ivanov
The paper discuss the structure of quantum mechanics and uniqueness of its postulates.
The Born rule for quantum probabilities is fixed by requirement of nonexistence of quantum telepathy.
Von Neumann projection postulate describes the transformation of quantum state under the condition of no-interaction measurement. Projection postulate could be considered as transition to conditional probability under the condition of a certain result of quantum measurement.
