The Argument from Entanglement

2021 ◽  
pp. 49-79
Author(s):  
Alyssa Ney
Keyword(s):  
Wave Function ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Structural Realism ◽  
Higher Dimensions ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Central Issue ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Field Approach ◽  
Wave Function Realism

In quantum mechanics, entangled states are not exotic or rare. Rather, entanglement is the norm and so the metaphysical consequences of entanglement are a central issue for anyone wishing to provide an ontological interpretation of the various formulations of quantum mechanics. This chapter presents the argument for wave function realism from quantum entanglement, which says that wave function realism is necessary if one wants an ontological interpretation that does not conflate distinct quantum states. It explains quantum entanglement and how postulating a wave function in higher dimensions can help to metaphysically ground the phenomenon. The chapter ultimately concludes that the argument from quantum entanglement fails as there are several rival positions that can also explain quantum entanglement and recover the distinctions between different entangled states. These include the primitive ontology approach, various other holisms, ontic structural realism, spacetime state realism, and the multi-field approach.

Wave Function Realism in a Relativistic Setting

2020 ◽  
pp. 154-168
Author(s):  
Alyssa Ney
Keyword(s):  
Wave Function ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Relativistic Quantum ◽  
Higher Dimensions ◽  
Recent Criticism ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Theories ◽  
Realist Interpretation ◽  
Wave Function Realism

The purpose of the present chapter is to respond to a thread of recent criticism against one candidate framework for interpreting quantum theories, a framework introduced and defended by David Albert and Barry Loewer: wave function realism, a framework for interpreting the ontology of quantum theories according to which what appears to be a nonseparable metaphysics ofentangled objects acting instantaneously across spatial distances is a manifestation of a more fundamental separable and local metaphysics in higher dimensions. Thechapterconsiders strategies for extending the wave function realist interpretation of quantum mechanics to the case of relativistic quantum theories, responding to arguments that this cannot be done.

“Non-locality”

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Healey
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Theory ◽  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Entangled Quantum States ◽  
Action At A Distance ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Non Locality

Quantum entanglement is popularly believed to give rise to spooky action at a distance of a kind that Einstein decisively rejected. Indeed, important recent experiments on systems assigned entangled states have been claimed to refute Einstein by exhibiting such spooky action. After reviewing two considerations in favor of this view I argue that quantum theory can be used to explain puzzling correlations correctly predicted by assignment of entangled quantum states with no such instantaneous action at a distance. We owe both considerations in favor of the view to arguments of John Bell. I present simplified forms of these arguments as well as a game that provides insight into the situation. The argument I give in response turns on a prescriptive view of quantum states that differs both from Dirac’s (as stated in Chapter 2) and Einstein’s.

Quantum Interference

2019 ◽  
pp. 66-88
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Hilbert Space ◽  
Wave Function ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Interference ◽  
Standard Theory ◽  
Quantum Decoherence ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Standard Formulation ◽  
Complex Valued

Moving to more subtle experiments, we consider how the standard formulation of quantum mechanics predicts and explains interference phenomena. Tracking the conditions under which one observes interference phenomena leads to the notion of quantum decoherence. We see why one must sharply distinguish between collapse phenomena and decoherence phenomena on the standard formulation of quantum mechanics. While collapses explain determinate measurement records, environmental decoherence just produces more complex, entangled states where the physical systems involved lack ordinary physical properties. We characterize the quantum-mechanical wave function as both an element of a Hilbert space and a complex-valued function over a configuration space. We also discuss how the wave function is interpreted in the standard theory.

scholarly journals The Strange (Hi)story of Particles and Waves

2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-212
Author(s):  
H. Dieter Zeh
Keyword(s):  
Wave Function ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Theory ◽  
Excited States ◽  
Configuration Space ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Wave Functions ◽  
General Readership ◽  
Boson Fields

AbstractThis is an attempt of a non-technical but conceptually consistent presentation of quantum theory in a historical context. While the first part is written for a general readership, Section 5 may appear a bit provocative to some quantum physicists. I argue that the single-particle wave functions of quantum mechanics have to be correctly interpreted as field modes that are “occupied once” (i.e. first excited states of the corresponding quantum oscillators in the case of boson fields). Multiple excitations lead to apparent many-particle wave functions, while the quantum states proper are defined by wave function(al)s on the “configuration” space of fundamental fields, or on another, as yet elusive, fundamental local basis.

Quantum Mechanics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjun Berera ◽  
Luigi Del Debbio
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Quantum Information ◽  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Mathematical Skills ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Modern Textbook

Designed for a two-semester advanced undergraduate or graduate level course, this distinctive and modern textbook provides students with the physical intuition and mathematical skills to tackle even complex problems in quantum mechanics with ease and fluency. Beginning with a detailed introduction to quantum states and Dirac notation, the book then develops the overarching theoretical framework of quantum mechanics, before explaining physical quantum mechanical properties such as angular momentum and spin. Symmetries and groups in quantum mechanics, important components of current research, are covered at length. The second part of the text focuses on applications, and includes a detailed chapter on quantum entanglement, one of the most exciting modern applications of quantum mechanics, and of key importance in quantum information and computation. Numerous exercises are interspersed throughout the text, expanding upon key concepts and further developing students' understanding. A fully worked solutions manual and lecture slides are available for instructors.

scholarly journals IMPOSSIBILITY OF PARTIAL SWAPPING OF QUANTUM INFORMATION

2007 ◽  
Vol 05 (04) ◽  
pp. 605-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. CHAKRABARTY
Keyword(s):  
Information Theory ◽  
Hilbert Space ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Information ◽  
Higher Dimensions ◽  
Quantum Information Theory ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Bloch Sphere ◽  
Two Parameters

It is a well–known fact that a quantum state |ψ(θ, ϕ)〉 is represented by a point on the Bloch sphere, characterized by two parameters θ and ϕ. Here in this work, we find out another impossible operation in quantum information theory. We name this impossibility as 'Impossibility of partial swapping of quantum information'. By this we mean that if two unknown quantum states are given at the input port, there exists no physical process, consistent with the principles of quantum mechanics, by which we can partially swap either of the two parameters θ and ϕ between these two quantum states. In this work, we provided the impossibility proofs for the qubits (i.e. the quantum states taken from two-dimensional Hilbert space) and this impossible operation can be shown to hold in higher dimensions also.

scholarly journals RELATIVISTIC, CAUSAL DESCRIPTION OF QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT AND GRAVITY

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 75-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. MOFFAT
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Spacetime Structure ◽  
Bimetric Gravity ◽  
Local Gravity ◽  
Nonlocal Quantum ◽  
Entangled Quantum States ◽  
Quantum Entangled States ◽  
Light Signals

A possible solution to the problem of providing a spacetime description of the transmission of signals for quantum entangled states is obtained by using a bimetric spacetime structure, in which quantum entanglement measurements alter the structure of the classical relativity spacetime. A bimetric gravity theory locally has two lightcones, one which describes classical special relativity and a larger lightcone which allows light signals to communicate quantum information between entangled states, after a measurement device detects one of the entangled quantum states. This theory would remove the tension that exists between macroscopic classical, local gravity and macroscopic nonlocal quantum mechanics.

scholarly journals Experimental creation of multi-photon high-dimensional layered quantum states

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Min Hu ◽  
Wen-Bo Xing ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Bi-Heng Liu ◽  
Matej Pivoluska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Information ◽  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Quantum State ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
High Dimensional ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Entangled State ◽  
Quantum Network ◽  
Quantum Networks ◽  
Qubit States

Abstract Quantum entanglement is one of the most important resources in quantum information. In recent years, the research of quantum entanglement mainly focused on the increase in the number of entangled qubits or the high-dimensional entanglement of two particles. Compared with qubit states, multipartite high-dimensional entangled states have beneficial properties and are powerful for constructing quantum networks. However, there are few studies on multipartite high-dimensional quantum entanglement due to the difficulty of creating such states. In this paper, we experimentally prepared a multipartite high-dimensional state $$\left|{\Psi }_{442}\right\rangle =\frac{1}{2}(\left|000\right\rangle +\left|110\right\rangle +\left|221\right\rangle +\left|331\right\rangle )$$ Ψ 442 = 1 2 ( 000 + 110 + 221 + 331 ) by using the path mode of photons. We obtain the fidelity F = 0.854 ± 0.007 of the quantum state, which proves a real multipartite high-dimensional entangled state. Finally, we use this quantum state to demonstrate a layered quantum network in principle. Our work highlights another route toward complex quantum networks.

What Would Cloud Computing Learn from Quantum Mechanics

2014 ◽  
pp. 2727-2743
Author(s):  
Nilo Serpa
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Quantum Entanglement ◽  
Entangled States ◽  
Service Oriented Architectures ◽  
Physical Resource ◽  
Intelligent Behavior ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
The Impact

This theoretical article studies the bearings of cloud computing under the impact of quantum mechanics in the field of information processing, considering quantum entanglement as an essential physical resource to deploy intelligent behavior in server clouds. It proposes a “beehive” model of cloud after the introduction of the concept of spontaneous quantum entanglement in Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA). Also it proposes a way to represent the creation of entangled states of information, introducing the concept of progenitor.

The Essence of Quantum Computing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra K. Bera
Keyword(s):  
Wave Function ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Quantum Computing ◽  
Quantum Computation ◽  
Quantum Algorithms ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Quantum States ◽  
Quantum Computers ◽  
Efficient Computation

In Part I we laid the foundation on which quantum algorithms are built. In part II we harnessed such exotic aspects of quantum mechanics as superposition, entanglement and collapse of quantum states to show how powerful quantum algorithms can be constructed for efficient computation. In Part III (the concluding part) we discuss two aspects of quantum computation: (1) the problem of correcting errors that inevitably plague physical quantum computers during computations, by algorithmic means; and (2) a possible underlying mechanism for the collapse of the wave function during measurement.

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