Photons uncertainty solves Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox

Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) pointed out that the quantum-mechanical description of "physical reality" implied an unphysical, instantaneous action between distant measurements. To avoid such an action at a distance, EPR concluded that Quantum Mechanics had to be incomplete. However, its extensions involving additional "hidden variables", allowing for the recovery of determinism and locality, have been disproved experimentally (Bell's theorem). Here, I present an opposite solution of the paradox based on the greater indeterminism of the modern Quantum Field Theory (QFT) description of Particle Physics, that prevents the preparation of any state having a definite number of particles. The resulting uncertainty in photons radiation has interesting consequences in Quantum Information Theory (e.g. cryptography and teleportation). Moreover, since it allows for less elements of EPR physical reality than the old non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics, QFT satisfies the EPR condition of completeness without the need of hidden variables. The residual physical reality does never violate locality, thus the unique objective proof of "quantum nonlocality" is removed in an interpretation-independent way. On the other hand, the supposed nonlocality of the EPR correlations turns out to be a problem of the interpretation of the theory. If we do not rely on hidden variables or new physics beyond QFT, the unique viable interpretation is a minimal statistical one, that preserves locality and Lorentz symmetry.Comment: Published version, with updated referenc

Non-adiabatic effects in long-pulse mixed-field orientation of a linear polar molecule

We present a theoretical study of the impact of an electrostatic field combined with non-resonant linearly polarized laser pulses on the rotational dynamics of linear molecules. Within the rigid rotor approximation, we solve the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for several field configurations. Using the OCS molecule as prototype, the field-dressed dynamics is analyzed in detail for experimentally accessible static field strengths and laser pulses. Results for directional cosines are presented and compared to the predictions of the adiabatic theory. We demonstrate that for prototypical field configuration used in current mixed-field orientation experiments, the molecular field dynamics is, in general, non-adiabatic, being mandatory a time-dependent description of these systems. We investigate several field regimes identifying the sources of non-adiabatic effects, and provide the field parameters under which the adiabatic dynamics would be achieved.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures. Submitted to Physical Review

Optimal Monitoring of Position in Nonlinear Quantum Systems

We discuss a model of repeated measurements of position in a quantum system which is monitored for a finite amount of time with a finite instrumental error. In this framework we recover the optimum monitoring of a harmonic oscillator proposed in the case of an instantaneous collapse of the wavefunction into an infinite-accuracy measurement result. We also establish numerically the existence of an optimal measurement strategy in the case of a nonlinear system. This optimal strategy is completely defined by the spectral properties of the nonlinear system.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX 3.0, 4 PostScript figure

The Quantum Mechanics of Hyperion

This paper is motivated by the suggestion [W. Zurek, Physica Scripta, T76, 186 (1998)] that the chaotic tumbling of the satellite Hyperion would become non-classical within 20 years, but for the effects of environmental decoherence. The dynamics of quantum and classical probability distributions are compared for a satellite rotating perpendicular to its orbital plane, driven by the gravitational gradient. The model is studied with and without environmental decoherence. Without decoherence, the maximum quantum-classical (QC) differences in its average angular momentum scale as hbar^{2/3} for chaotic states, and as hbar^2 for non-chaotic states, leading to negligible QC differences for a macroscopic object like Hyperion. The quantum probability distributions do not approach their classical limit smoothly, having an extremely fine oscillatory structure superimposed on the smooth classical background. For a macroscopic object, this oscillatory structure is too fine to be resolved by any realistic measurement. Either a small amount of smoothing (due to the finite resolution of the apparatus) or a very small amount of environmental decoherence is sufficient ensure the classical limit. Under decoherence, the QC differences in the probability distributions scale as (hbar^2/D)^{1/6}, where D is the momentum diffusion parameter. We conclude that decoherence is not essential to explain the classical behavior of macroscopic bodies.Comment: 17 pages, 24 figure

Conservation and entanglement of Hermite-Gaussian modes in parametric down-conversion

We show that the transfer of the angular spectrum of the pump beam to the two-photon state in spontaneous parametric down-conversion enables the generation of entangled Hermite-Gaussian modes. We derive an analytical expression for the two-photon state in terms of these modes and show that there are restrictions on both the parity and order of the down-converted Hermite-Gaussian fields. Using these results, we show that the two-photon state is indeed entangled in Hermite-Gaussian modes. We propose experimental methods of creating maximally-entangled Bell states and non-maximally entangled pure states of first order Hermite-Gaussian modes.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Corrections made as per referee comments, references updated. Submitted PR

Simple computer model for the quantum Zeno effect

This paper presents a simple model for repeated measurement of a quantum system: the evolution of a free particle, simulated by discretising the particle's position. This model is easily simulated by computer and provides a useful arena to investigate the effects of measurement upon dynamics, in particular the slowing of evolution due to measurement (the `quantum Zeno effect'). The results of this simulation are discussed for two rather different sorts of measurement process, both of which are (simplified forms of) measurements used in previous simulations of position measurement. A number of interesting results due to measurement are found, and the investigation casts some light on previous disagreements about the presence or absence of the Zeno effect.Comment: REVTeX; 12 pages including 11 figures; figures reformatted to be more readable; some small changes made to the description of the mode

Quantum Mechanics Another Way

Deformation quantization (sometimes called phase-space quantization) is a formulation of quantum mechanics that is not usually taught to undergraduates. It is formally quite similar to classical mechanics: ordinary functions on phase space take the place of operators, but the functions are multiplied in an exotic way, using the star product. Here we attempt a brief, pedagogical discussion of deformation quantization, that is suitable for inclusion in an undergraduate course.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Eur. J. Phy

Probability in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics: Probability as a Postulate Versus Probability as an Emergent Phenomenon

The role of probability in quantum mechanics is reviewed, with a discussion of the ``orthodox'' versus the statistical interpretive frameworks, and of a number of related issues. After a brief summary of sources of unease with quantum mechanics, a survey is given of attempts either to give a new interpretive framework assuming quantum mechanics is exact, or to modify quantum mechanics assuming it is a very accurate approximation to a more fundamental theory. This survey focuses particularly on the issues of whether probabilities in quantum mechanics are postulated or emergent.Comment: Latex; Submitted to the Proceedings of the Ischia Conference on ``Chance in Physics: Foundations and Perspectives'

Invalidity of Classes of Approximated Hall Effect Calculations

In this comment, I point out a number of approximated derivations for the effective equation of motion, now been applied to d-wave superconductors by Kopnin and Volovik are invalid. The major error in those approximated derivations is the inappropriate use of the relaxation time approximation in force-force correlation functions, or in force balance equations, or in similar variations. This approximation is wrong and unnecessary.Comment: final version, minor changes, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let