Localization of relativistic particles and uncertainty relations

Localization of relativistic particles and their position-momentum uncertainty relations are not yet fully understood. We discuss two schemes of photon localization that are based on the energy density. One scheme produces a positive operator-valued measure for localization. It coincides with the number density operator and reproduces the effective 3x3 polarization density matrix. Another scheme results in a probability distribution that is conditioned on the detection. In both schemes the uncertainty relations for transversal position and momentum approach the Heisenberg bound $\Delta p \Delta z= \hbar/2$Comment: Published version; significantly modified and corrected with a focus on photons and the experimental consequence

Inconsistency of quantum--classical dynamics, and what it implies

A new proof of the impossibility of a universal quantum-classical dynamics is given. It has at least two consequences. The standard paradigm ``quantum system is measured by a classical apparatus" is untenable, while a quantum matter can be consistently coupled only with a quantum gravity.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX

Quantum information and special relativity

Relativistic effects affect nearly all notions of quantum information theory. The vacuum behaves as a noisy channel, even if the detectors are perfect. The standard definition of a reduced density matrix fails for photon polarization because the transversality condition behaves like a superselection rule. We can however define an effective reduced density matrix which corresponds to a restricted class of positive operator-valued measures. There are no pure photon qubits, and no exactly orthogonal qubit states. Reduced density matrices for the spin of massive particles are well-defined, but are not covariant under Lorentz transformations. The spin entropy is not a relativistic scalar and has no invariant meaning. The distinguishability of quantum signals and their entanglement depend on the relative motion of observers.Comment: RevTex, 6 pages with one figure. Proceedings of TH-2002, Paris, 200

Reconstructing Quantum Geometry from Quantum Information: Area Renormalisation, Coarse-Graining and Entanglement on Spin Networks

After a brief review of spin networks and their interpretation as wave functions for the (space) geometry, we discuss the renormalisation of the area operator in loop quantum gravity. In such a background independent framework, we propose to probe the structure of a surface through the analysis of the coarse-graining and renormalisation flow(s) of its area. We further introduce a procedure to coarse-grain spin network states and we quantitatively study the decrease in the number of degrees of freedom during this process. Finally, we use these coarse-graining tools to define the correlation and entanglement between parts of a spin network and discuss their potential interpretation as a natural measure of distance in such a state of quantum geometry.Comment: 27 pages, 12 figures, RevTex

Quantum causal histories in the light of quantum information

We use techniques of quantum information theory to analyze the quantum causal histories approach to quantum gravity. We show that while it is consistent to introduce closed timelike curves (CTCs), they cannot generically carry independent degrees of freedom. Moreover, if the effective dynamics of the chronology-respecting part of the system is linear, it should be completely decoupled from the CTCs. In the absence of a CTC not all causal structures admit the introduction of quantum mechanics. It is possible for those and only for those causal structures that can be represented as quantum computational networks. The dynamics of the subsystems should not be unitary or even completely positive. However, we show that other commonly maid assumptions ensure the complete positivity of the reduced dynamics.Comment: 9 pages, 8 eps figure

Proposal for a quantum delayed-choice experiment

Gedanken experiments are important conceptual tools in the quest to reconcile our classical intuition with quantum mechanics and nowadays are routinely performed in the laboratory. An important open question is the quantum behaviour of the controlling devices in such experiments. We propose a framework to analyse quantum-controlled experiments and illustrate the implications by discussing a quantum version of Wheeler's delayed-choice experiment. The introduction of a quantum-controlled device (i.e., quantum beamsplitter) has several consequences. First, it implies that we can measure complementary phenomena with a single experimental setup, thus pointing to a redefinition of complementarity principle. Second, a quantum control allows us to prove there are no consistent hidden-variable theories in which "particle" and "wave" are realistic properties. Finally, it shows that a photon can have a morphing behaviour between "particle" and "wave"; this further supports the conclusion that "particle" and "wave" are not realistic properties but merely reflect how we 'look' at the photon. The framework developed here can be extended to other experiments, particularly to Bell-inequality tests