Inconsistency of linear dynamics and Born's rule

Open Access
Authors
Publication date 11-2021
Journal Physical Review A
Article number 052224
Volume | Issue number 104 | 5
Number of pages 11
Organisations
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Institute of Physics (IoP) - Institute for Theoretical Physics Amsterdam (ITFA)
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Institute of Physics (IoP)
Abstract

Modern experiments using nanoscale devices come ever closer to bridging the divide between the quantum and classical realms, bringing experimental tests of objective collapse theories that propose alterations to Schrödinger's equation within reach. Such objective collapse theories aim to explain the emergence of classical dynamics in the thermodynamic limit and hence resolve the inconsistency that exists within the axioms of quantum mechanics when assuming measurement can be described by quantum mechanics as well. Here, we show that requiring the emergence of Born's rule for relative frequencies of measurement outcomes without imposing them as part of any axiom implies that such objective collapse theories cannot be linear. Previous suggestions for proof of the emergence of Born's rule in classes of problems that include linear objective collapse theories are analyzed and shown to include hidden assumptions.

Document type Article
Note ©2021 American Physical Society
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.104.052224
Other links https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85120526723
Downloads
PhysRevA.104.052224 (Final published version)
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