Quantum Foundations in the Light of Quantum Information

量子信息中的量子基础

• 批准号: 0522398
• 负责人: Jeffrey Bub
• 金额: $ 17.73万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-06-01 至 2008-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0522398&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Quantum; Foundations; Light; Information

Project SummaryThe problem of how to make sense of the non-classical probabilistic behavior ofquantum systems was the subject of an unresolved dispute between Einstein and Bohr.The opposition between their opposing philosophical views has provided the tension foran ongoing debate among physicists and philosophers of physics about the conceptualsignificance of the transition from classical to quantum mechanics, centering on a measurementproblem in the foundations of the theory. The 1990s saw the development ofa quantum theory of information, prompted by the realization that certain nonclassicalfeatures of quantum systems could be exploited to perform information-processing tasksthat would be impossible in a Newtonian world. This has led to an explosion of interestin theoretical and practical applications of quantum computation and quantum cryptography,and a reconsideration of the foundational problems underlying the Bohr-Einsteindebate.Intellectual Merit: The PI has published a number of recent papers on these issues,in particular a paper (jointly authored with Rob Clifton and Hans Halvorson) showingthat one can derive the basic features of a quantum-theoretic description of physical systemsfrom three information-theoretic constraints. The research project involves workingout the details of an information-theoretic interpretation of quantum mechanics inthe light of the Clifton-Bub-Halvorson result. A core feature is to split the measurementproblem into a problem about truth and a problem about probability, and to set aside thetruth problem. The PIs solution to the probability problem involves showing (i) that onecan derive from quantum mechanics the conditions for the existence of measuring instrumentsas sources of classical information, and the existence of information-gathererswith the ability to use measuring instruments to apply and test quantum mechanics, and(ii) that the generalized transition probabilities of the theory can be given a subjectiveBayesian interpretation without solving the truth problem of measurement. The PI arguesthat the possible solutions to the truth problem are well understood, and proposesto show that any such solution produces a modification of quantum mechanics that isexplanatorily and methodologically inferior to the standard theory, particularly with respectto accounting for the new results in quantum computation and quantum cryptography.Broader Impacts: The PI proposes to write a book developing these ideas accessibleto scientists who work on issues in quantum information and computation, tophilosophers of science who work on questions of interpretation, and to a wider groupof readers interested in developments in the foundations of physics. The PI has beeninvited to present papers on topics related to the above information-theoretic interpretationof quantum mechanics at various conferences, and to contribute articles to severalHandbooks and Encyclopedias. A number of recent papers and PhD dissertations discussthe Clifton-Bub-Halvorson result and its implications, and three of the PIs PhDstudents will shortly be working on dissertations on various aspects of quantum information.The results of this research will be incorporated in an undergraduate course onphilosophy of physics (Phil 354) directed at physics students. The PI will also disseminate information on the project through an annual "new directions in the foundations of physics conference," and through online archives. 1

如何理解量子系统的非经典概率行为的问题是爱因斯坦和玻尔之间一个悬而未决的争论的主题。他们对立的哲学观点之间的对立为物理学家和物理哲学家之间关于从经典到量子力学过渡的概念意义的持续争论提供了紧张局势，在理论基础中围绕着一个测量问题。20世纪90年代，人们认识到量子系统的某些非经典特征可以用来完成在牛顿世界中不可能完成的信息处理任务，从而推动了量子信息理论的发展。这导致了人们对量子计算和量子密码学的理论和实际应用的兴趣激增，并重新考虑了玻尔-爱因斯坦之争的基础问题。PI最近发表了一些关于这些问题的论文，特别是一种纸（与罗伯克利夫顿和汉斯Halvorson共同撰写）显示，人们可以推导出量子的基本特征，物理系统的理论描述从三个信息理论的限制。该研究项目包括根据Clifton-Bub-Halvorson结果制定量子力学的信息论解释的细节。它的一个核心特征是把度量问题分解为真值问题和概率问题，而把真值问题放在一边。概率问题的PI解决方案涉及到：（i）从量子力学中可以推导出测量仪器作为经典信息源的存在条件，以及信息收集者的存在条件，这些信息收集者具有使用测量仪器应用和测试量子力学的能力，（ii）在不解决测量真值问题的情况下，理论的广义转移概率可以给出一个主观的贝叶斯解释。PI认为，真理问题的可能解决方案是很好理解的，并建议表明，任何这样的解决方案产生的量子力学的修改，是在解释和方法论低于标准理论，特别是在考虑到量子计算和量子密码学的新成果。PI建议写一本书，发展这些想法，让那些研究量子信息和计算问题的科学家，研究解释问题的科学家，and to a wider更广泛groupof readers读者interested感兴趣in the developments发展in the foundations基础of physics物理. PI被邀请在各种会议上发表与上述量子力学信息理论解释相关的论文，并为几本手册和百科全书撰写文章。最近的一些论文和博士论文讨论了Clifton-Bub-Halvorson的结果及其含义，三位PI博士生将很快撰写量子信息各个方面的论文。这项研究的结果将被纳入针对物理学学生的物理哲学本科课程（Phil 354）。 PI还将通过年度“物理学基础新方向会议”和在线档案传播有关该项目的信息。 1