Home / Whitaker Einstein's Struggles with Quantum Theory

A Reappraisal
1. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-387-71520-9
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 370 Seiten

This book presents an account of all aspects of Einstein's achievements in quantum theory, his own views, and the progress his work has stimulated since his death. While some chapters use mathematics at an undergraduate physics level, a path is provided for the reader more concerned with ideas than equations, and the book will benefit to anybody interested in Einstein and his approach to the quantum.

Dipankar Home is Professor of Physics at Bose Institute, Calcutta. Over the past two decades he has been working extensively on the fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics, especially on topics related to entanglement and quantum nonlocality, quantum communications, the measurement problem, quantum Zeno effect, quantum time distributions and nonstandard interpretations of quantum mechanics such as the Bohmian model. One area of his research has involved linking the foundational issues of quantum mechanics with realizable experiments. Home's earlier book Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Physics (Plenum, New York, 1997) was positively reviewed in various publications such as Physics Today, Progress in Quantum Electronics, and in The Times (London) Higher Education Supplement. Andrew Whitaker has been Professor of Physics at Queen's University Belfast since 1999. His early research was in the theory of pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. In recent years he has been concerned with the foundations of quantum theory and has published over 50 papers in this area. He has had a special interest in the quantum Zeno effect, the interpretations of quantum theory and the Bohr-Einstein dispute. He has written several articles on Belfast-born John Bell.  In 1996 he published Einstein, Bohr and the Quantum Dilemma and in 2002 edited Physicists of Ireland: Passion and Precision with Mark McCartney.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Home, Dipankar

Whitaker, Andrew

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Contents;6
2;Foreword;11
3;Preface;14
3.1;References;18
4;Setting the Scene;19
4.1;The Philosophical Background: Einstein and Mach;20
4.1.1;Introduction;20
4.1.2;Positivism and Ernst Mach;21
4.1.3;Mach’s Critique of Newton;23
4.1.4;Einstein and Mach—Part 1;25
4.1.5;Einstein and Mach—Part 2;29
4.1.6;Einstein and Mach—the Denouement;33
4.1.7;References;34
4.2;Einstein and Quantum Theory: The Early Years;37
4.2.1;Einstein and the Development of Quantum Theory;37
4.2.2;The Photon and Specific Heats;39
4.2.3;Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission; Probability and Statistics;42
4.2.4;The Path to the New Quantum Theory;45
4.2.5;The New Quantum Theory: Bohr and Heisenberg;46
4.2.6;The New Quantum Theory: Einstein’s Contributions;48
4.2.7;References;52
4.3;Quantum Mechanics and its Fundamental Issues;54
4.3.1;Introduction;54
4.3.2;Some Preliminaries;55
4.3.3;The Uncertainty Principle;59
4.3.4;‘Time-Energy Uncertainty Principle’;60
4.3.5;Pure and Mixed States;61
4.3.6;Statistical Properties of Pure States;62
4.3.7;Statistical Properties of Mixed States;63
4.3.8;Observable Distinction between a Pure and a Mixed State;63
4.3.9;Classical Realism or Macrorealism;65
4.3.10;Quantum Realism;65
4.3.11;The Quantum Measurement Problem;66
4.3.12;The Classical Limit Problem of Quantum Mechanics;68
4.3.13;The Limit Problem: Wave and Ray Optics;69
4.3.14;The Limit Problem: Special Relativity and Newtonian Mechanics;69
4.3.15;The Classical Limit Problem in Standard Quantum Mechanics;70
4.3.16;Wave-Particle Duality;71
4.3.17;References;72
4.4;The Standard Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics;74
4.4.1;Introduction;74
4.4.2;The Bohr–Heisenberg Version;76
4.4.3;The Ensemble Interpretation;79
4.4.4;Single System vis-à-vis Ensemble Interpretation;80
4.4.5;The Bohr–Heisenberg ‘Solution’ to the Quantum Measurement Problem;82
4.4.6;Position-Momentum Complementarity;83
4.4.7;Wave-Particle Complementarity;85
4.4.8;Bohr and the ‘Disturbance Interpretation’;87
4.4.9;von Neumann and the Projection Postulate;88
4.4.10;von Neumann’s Impossibility ‘Proof’;91
4.4.11;References;92
5;Interlude;95
6;Einstein Confronting Quantum Theory from 1925;96
6.1;Einstein’s Approaches to Quantum Theory 1925– 1935;97
6.1.1;Initial Impressions;97
6.1.2;Einstein’s Unpublished Paper on Hidden Variables;101
6.1.3;The Solvay Conference 1927—Main Proceedings and Einstein– Bohr Part I;103
6.1.4;The Solvay Conference 1930—Einstein–Bohr Part II;108
6.1.5;Einstein–Bohr: Argument and Concepts in the Early Parts of the Debate;109
6.1.6;Einstein’s Boxes;115
6.1.7;References;117
6.2;EPR and its Aftermath;119
6.2.1;Introduction;119
6.2.2;Einstein Locality and Bell Locality;122
6.2.3;Entanglement;123
6.2.4;Einstein’s Version of the EPR Argument;125
6.2.5;Einstein’s Version of the EPR Argument: Further Consideration;127
6.2.6;The Bohm Version of EPR;131
6.2.7;The Original EPR Argument of 1935;133
6.2.8;Bohr’s Response to EPR35;138
6.2.9;EPR—What did it Mean?;144
6.2.10;Einstein and Schrödinger: The 1935 Correspondence;148
6.2.11;Note added in proof;150
6.2.12;References;150
6.3;Einstein and the Macroscopic Limit of Quantum Mechanics;153
6.3.1;Introduction;153
6.3.2;Macrorealism: Examples;154
6.3.3;Macrorealism: Discussion;155
6.3.4;Particle in a Box;157
6.3.5;Dephasing of theWave-Packet;161
6.3.6;Localisation of theWave-Packet;162
6.3.7;Conclusions;163
6.3.8;References;164
6.4;Summary of Einstein’s Views;166
6.4.1;Did Einstein ‘Reject’ Quantum Theory?;166
6.4.2;Einstein’s Philosophical Position—General Remarks;170
6.4.3;Einstein’s Approach to the Copenhagen Interpretation;174
6.4.4;Einstein on Determinism;179
6.4.5;Einstein on Realism;183
6.4.6;Realism as a Programme;188
6.4.7;Einstein on Locality;193
6.4.8;Einstein’s Vision for Physics—the Unified Field Theory;196
6.4.9;Einstein and Ensembles;200
6.4.10;Einstein and the Bohm Theory;207
6.4.11;Realism, Determinism, Locality;210
6.4.12;References;213
7;Interlude;217
8;Denouement;219
8.1;Bell’s Contributions and Quantum Non- locality;220
8.1.1;Introduction;220
8.1.2;Limitation to von Neumann’s Theorem and Prelude to Bell’s Theorem;222
8.1.3;Bell’s Theorem;224
8.1.4;Bell’s Theorem Using Stochastic Hidden Variables;229
8.1.5;Contextuality;231
8.1.6;Signal Locality, and Parameter and Outcome Independence;232
8.1.7;General Remarks on Local Realism and Entanglement;235
8.1.8;Bell-type ArgumentsWithout Inequalities: Greenberger– Horne– Zeilinger;236
8.1.9;Bell-type ArgumentsWithout Inequalities: Hardy’s Argument;238
8.1.10;Experimental Tests of Bell-type Inequalities;240
8.1.11;Experimental Tests of Quantum Non-locality Without Inequalities;245
8.1.12;Quantum Teleportation;245
8.1.13;Bell and Einstein;248
8.1.14;Note added in proof;250
8.1.15;References;250
8.2;Non-standard Quantum Interpretations;256
8.2.1;Introduction;256
8.2.2;Many-Worlds Interpretation;257
8.2.3;Bohm’s Model: The Ontological Interpretation;259
8.2.4;Bohm’s Model: A Simple Illustrative Example;263
8.2.5;Bohm’s Model: Approach to the Measurement Problem;264
8.2.6;Dynamical Models of SpontaneousWave-Function Collapse;265
8.2.7;Consistent Histories and Decoherent Histories;268
8.2.8;Knowledge and Information Interpretations;270
8.2.9;Stochastic Interpretations;271
8.2.10;The Quantum State Diffusion Model;272
8.2.11;Many Hilbert Space Approach;273
8.2.12;Gravitationally InducedWave-Function Collapse Approach;274
8.2.13;Wave-Function Collapse Models Based on Irreversibility;276
8.2.14;Conclusions;277
8.2.15;References;277
8.3;Einstein and Quantum Information Theory;282
8.3.1;The Rise of Quantum Information Theory;282
8.3.2;Einstein and Quantum Information Theory;285
8.3.3;A Sketch of the Theory of Quantum Computation;288
8.3.4;The Deutsch Algorithm;293
8.3.5;Other Topics in Quantum Computation;296
8.3.6;Einstein and Quantum Computation;297
8.3.7;Quantum Cryptography;299
8.3.8;Note added in proof;303
8.3.9;References;303
8.4;Bridging the Quantum-Classical Divide;307
8.4.1;Introduction;307
8.4.2;Environment-induced Decoherence Schemes: Basic Ideas;307
8.4.3;Collision with External Environment Particles: Photons, Gas Molecules, etc.;311
8.4.4;Oscillator Model of the Environment;314
8.4.5;Assessment of the Decoherence Programme;315
8.4.6;Other Approaches to the Classical Limit;317
8.4.7;The h . 0 Limit;317
8.4.8;The N .8 Limit;320
8.4.9;Ehrenfest’s Theorem;321
8.4.10;The Quantum Theory of Macroscopic Systems;322
8.4.11;Conclusions;323
8.4.12;References;323
9;Interlude;326
10;Looking Forward;327
10.1;Quantum Foundations: General Outlook;328
10.1.1;Introduction;328
10.1.2;Macrorealism in Relation to Quantum Mechanics;329
10.1.3;The Leggett–Garg Inequality;331
10.1.4;Other Examples Testing Quantum Superpositions for Macrosystems;334
10.1.5;The Quantum Zeno Effect;336
10.1.6;The Quantum Zeno Effect: Experimental Test;339
10.1.7;The Quantum Zeno Effect: RecentWork;340
10.1.8;Time in Quantum Mechanics;340
10.1.9;References;344
10.2;Assessment of Einstein’s Views and Contributions;349
10.2.1;HowWould Einstein have Reacted to the Present Situation?;349
10.2.2;Summary and Assessment of Einstein’s Contributions;353
10.2.3;AThought Concerning Einstein’s Possible Choice of Interpretation;357
10.2.4;References;357
11;Epilogue;359
12;Name Index;361
13;Subject Index;369