Relativity of quantum states and observables

Paul Busch, Leon Deryck Loveridge, Takayuki Miyadera

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Under the principle that quantum mechanical observables are invariant under relevant symmetry transformations, we explore how the usual, non-invariant quantities may capture measurement statistics. Using a relativisation mapping, viewed as the incorporation of a quantum reference frame, we show that the usual quantum description approximates the relative one precisely when the reference system admits an appropriate localisable quantity and a localised state. From this follows a new perspective on the nature and reality of quantum superpositions and optical coherence.
Original languageEnglish
Article number40004
Number of pages5
JournalEPL (Europhysics Letters)
Volume117
Early online date4 Apr 2017
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 4 Apr 2017

Bibliographical note

© EPLA, 2017. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

Keywords

  • quantum mechanics
  • symmetry
  • quantum reference frames

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