91 research outputs found
Finding a state in a haystack
We consider the problem to single out a particular state among
orthogonal pure states. As it turns out, in general the optimal strategy is not
to measure the particles separately, but to consider joint properties of the
-particle system. The required number of propositions is . There exist
equivalent operational procedures to do so. We enumerate some
configurations for three particles, in particular the
Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ)- and W-states, which are specific cases of a
unitary transformation For the GHZ-case, an explicit physical meaning of the
projection operators is discussed.Comment: 11 page
Generalized Complex Spherical Harmonics, Frame Functions, and Gleason Theorem
Consider a finite dimensional complex Hilbert space \cH, with dim(\cH)
\geq 3, define \bS(\cH):= \{x\in \cH \:|\: ||x||=1\}, and let \nu_\cH be
the unique regular Borel positive measure invariant under the action of the
unitary operators in \cH, with \nu_\cH(\bS(\cH))=1. We prove that if a
complex frame function f : \bS(\cH)\to \bC satisfies f \in \cL^2(\bS(\cH),
\nu_\cH), then it verifies Gleason's statement: There is a unique linear
operator A: \cH \to \cH such that for every u \in
\bS(\cH). is Hermitean when is real. No boundedness requirement is
thus assumed on {\em a priori}.Comment: 9 pages, Accepted for publication in Ann. H. Poincar\'
Quantum mechanics on manifolds and topological effects
A unique classification of the topological effects associated to quantum
mechanics on manifolds is obtained on the basis of the invariance under
diffeomorphisms and the realization of the Lie-Rinehart relations between the
generators of the diffeomorphism group and the algebra of infinitely
differentiable functions on the manifold. This leads to a unique
("Lie-Rinehart") C* algebra as observable algebra; its regular representations
are shown to be locally Schroedinger and in one to one correspondence with the
unitary representations of the fundamental group of the manifold. Therefore, in
the absence of spin degrees of freedom and external fields, the first homotopy
group of the manifold appears as the only source of topological effects.Comment: A few comments have been added to the Introduction, together with
related references; a few words have been changed in the Abstract and a Note
added to the Titl
Structured Random Matrices
Random matrix theory is a well-developed area of probability theory that has
numerous connections with other areas of mathematics and its applications. Much
of the literature in this area is concerned with matrices that possess many
exact or approximate symmetries, such as matrices with i.i.d. entries, for
which precise analytic results and limit theorems are available. Much less well
understood are matrices that are endowed with an arbitrary structure, such as
sparse Wigner matrices or matrices whose entries possess a given variance
pattern. The challenge in investigating such structured random matrices is to
understand how the given structure of the matrix is reflected in its spectral
properties. This chapter reviews a number of recent results, methods, and open
problems in this direction, with a particular emphasis on sharp spectral norm
inequalities for Gaussian random matrices.Comment: 46 pages; to appear in IMA Volume "Discrete Structures: Analysis and
Applications" (Springer
At what time does a quantum experiment have a result?
This paper provides a general method for defining a generalized quantum
observable (or POVM) that supplies properly normalized conditional
probabilities for the time of occurrence (i.e., of detection). This method
treats the time of occurrence as a probabilistic variable whose value is to be
determined by experiment and predicted by the Born rule. This avoids the
problematic assumption that a question about the time at which an event occurs
must be answered through instantaneous measurements of a projector by an
observer, common to both Rovelli (1998) and Oppenheim et al. (2000). I also
address the interpretation of experiments purporting to demonstrate the quantum
Zeno effect, used by Oppenheim et al. (2000) to justify an inherent uncertainty
for measurements of times.Comment: To appear in proceedings of 2015 ETH Zurich Workshop on Time in
Physic
Testing axioms for Quantum Mechanics on Probabilistic toy-theories
In Ref. [1] one of the authors proposed postulates for axiomatizing Quantum
Mechanics as a "fair operational framework", namely regarding the theory as a
set of rules that allow the experimenter to predict future events on the basis
of suitable tests, having local control and low experimental complexity. In
addition to causality, the following postulates have been considered: PFAITH
(existence of a pure preparationally faithful state), and FAITHE (existence of
a faithful effect). These postulates have exhibited an unexpected theoretical
power, excluding all known nonquantum probabilistic theories. Later in Ref. [2]
in addition to causality and PFAITH, postulate LDISCR (local discriminability)
and PURIFY (purifiability of all states) have been considered, narrowing the
probabilistic theory to something very close to Quantum Mechanics. In the
present paper we test the above postulates on some nonquantum probabilistic
models. The first model, "the two-box world" is an extension of the
Popescu-Rohrlich model, which achieves the greatest violation of the CHSH
inequality compatible with the no-signaling principle. The second model "the
two-clock world" is actually a full class of models, all having a disk as
convex set of states for the local system. One of them corresponds to the "the
two-rebit world", namely qubits with real Hilbert space. The third model--"the
spin-factor"--is a sort of n-dimensional generalization of the clock. Finally
the last model is "the classical probabilistic theory". We see how each model
violates some of the proposed postulates, when and how teleportation can be
achieved, and we analyze other interesting connections between these postulate
violations, along with deep relations between the local and the non-local
structures of the probabilistic theory.Comment: Submitted to QIP Special Issue on Foundations of Quantum Informatio
Structure, classifcation, and conformal symmetry, of elementary particles over non-archimedean space-time
It is known that no length or time measurements are possible in sub-Planckian
regions of spacetime. The Volovich hypothesis postulates that the
micro-geometry of spacetime may therefore be assumed to be non-archimedean. In
this letter, the consequences of this hypothesis for the structure,
classification, and conformal symmetry of elementary particles, when spacetime
is a flat space over a non-archimedean field such as the -adic numbers, is
explored. Both the Poincar\'e and Galilean groups are treated. The results are
based on a new variant of the Mackey machine for projective unitary
representations of semidirect product groups which are locally compact and
second countable. Conformal spacetime is constructed over -adic fields and
the impossibility of conformal symmetry of massive and eventually massive
particles is proved
Duality Principle and Braided Geometry
We give an overview of a new kind symmetry in physics which exists between
observables and states and which is made possible by the language of Hopf
algebras and quantum geometry. It has been proposed by the author as a feature
of Planck scale physics. More recent work includes corresponding results at the
semiclassical level of Poisson-Lie groups and at the level of braided groups
and braided geometry.Comment: 24 page
Isomorphisms of algebras of Colombeau generalized functions
We show that for smooth manifolds X and Y, any isomorphism between the
special algebra of Colombeau generalized functions on X, resp. Y is given by
composition with a unique Colombeau generalized function from Y to X. We also
identify the multiplicative linear functionals from the special algebra of
Colombeau generalized functions on X to the ring of Colombeau generalized
numbers. Up to multiplication with an idempotent generalized number, they are
given by an evaluation map at a compactly supported generalized point on X.Comment: 10 page
Schroedingers equation with gauge coupling derived from a continuity equation
We consider a statistical ensemble of particles of mass m, which can be
described by a probability density \rho and a probability current \vec{j} of
the form \rho \nabla S/m. The continuity equation for \rho and \vec{j} implies
a first differential equation for the basic variables \rho and S. We further
assume that this system may be described by a linear differential equation for
a complex state variable \chi. Using this assumptions and the simplest possible
Ansatz \chi(\rho,S) Schroedingers equation for a particle of mass m in an
external potential V(q,t) is deduced. All calculations are performed for a
single spatial dimension (variable q) Using a second Ansatz \chi(\rho,S,q,t)
which allows for an explict q,t-dependence of \chi, one obtains a generalized
Schroedinger equation with an unusual external influence described by a
time-dependent Planck constant. All other modifications of Schroeodingers
equation obtained within this Ansatz may be eliminated by means of a gauge
transformation. Thus, this second Ansatz may be considered as a generalized
gauging procedure. Finally, making a third Ansatz, which allows for an
non-unique external q,t-dependence of \chi, one obtains Schroedingers equation
with electromagnetic potentials \vec{A}, \phi in the familiar gauge coupling
form. A possible source of the non-uniqueness is pointed out.Comment: 25 pages, no figure
- …