Proposed test of relative phase as hidden variable in quantum mechanics
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Publication:1936400
DOI10.1007/S10701-012-9680-6zbMATH Open1260.81009arXiv1302.3787OpenAlexW3106327342MaRDI QIDQ1936400
Publication date: 4 February 2013
Published in: Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)
Abstract: We consider the possibility that the relative phase in quantum mechanics plays a role in determining measurement outcome and could therefore serve as a "hidden" variable. The Born rule for measurement equates the probability for a given outcome with the absolute square of the coefficient of the basis state, which by design removes the relative phase from the formulation. The value of this phase at the moment of measurement naturally averages out in an ensemble, which would prevent any dependence from being observed, and we show that conventional frequency-spectroscopy measurements on discrete quantum systems cannot be imposed at a specific phase due to a straightforward uncertainty relation. We lay out general conditions for imposing measurements at a specific value of the relative phase so that the possibility of its role as a hidden variable can be tested, and we discuss implementation for the specific case of an atomic two-state system with laser-induced fluorescence for measurement.
Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1302.3787
General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Stochastic mechanics (including stochastic electrodynamics) (81P20)
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