Quantum Concepts Research Articles

Two points of view on photon: Quantum field theory and photocounts

Modern concepts of the physical phenomenon described by the term “photon”, which was introduced simultaneously with the acceptance of quantum concepts in physics, are presented. Since that time, this term is a necessary component of each discussion about the physical meaning of quantum mechanics. These discussions are generally carried out within the concepts that are 50 or even 100 years old. At the same time, new fields of science have arisen and been developed in the last century: quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics, nonlinear optics, theory of dynamic chaos, etc. The experimental potential has been significantly increased, especially when highly coherent lasers were developed. As a result, the difficult problems of quantum mechanics have become aggravated and enriched. In this paper, we discuss two different approaches to gaining insight into the photon nature, which differ radically. An especially urgent problem is the difference in the estimates of the length of light states that are put into correspondence with photons: laser photons are many orders of magnitude longer than the photons put into correspondence with photocounts. Correspondingly, the spectrum of photocounts is many orders of magnitude wider than the lasing spectrum. The author believes that a photocount cannot be put into correspondence with a photon, because the former is a manifestation of the Coulomb nonlinearity of photodetector. The final solution of the question of the photon nature is expected to be obtained experimentally.

Quantum inspired genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization using chaotic map model based interference for gray level image thresholding

In this paper, two meta-heuristics techniques have been employed to introduce two new quantum inspired meta-heuristic methods, namely quantum inspired genetic algorithm and quantum inspired particle swarm optimization for bi-level thresholding. The proposed methods use Otsu's method, Ramesh's method, Li's method, Shanbag's method and also correlation coefficient as evaluation functions to determine optimal threshold values of gray-level images. They exploit the trivial concepts of quantum computing such as qubits and superposition of states. These properties help to exhibit the feature of parallelism that in turn utilizes the time discreteness of quantum mechanical systems. The proposed methods have been compared with their classical counterparts and later with the quantum evolutionary algorithm (QEA) proposed by Han et al. to evaluate the performance among all participating algorithms for three test images. The optimal threshold value with the corresponding fitness value, standard deviation of fitness and finally the computational time of each method for each test image have been reported. The results prove that the proposed methods are time efficient while compared to their conventional counterparts. Another comparative study of the proposed methods with the quantum evolutionary algorithm (QEA) proposed by Han et al. also reveals the weaknesses of the latter.

Re-Visioning Reality: Quantum Superposition in Visual Art

The counterintuitive phenomenon of quantum superposition requires a radical review of our ideas of reality. The author suggests that translations of quantum concepts into visual art may assist in provoking such a revision. This essay first introduces the concept of quantum superposition and points out its divergence from conventional perceptions of reality. The author then discusses how visual art might provide insight into quantum superposition. Finally she discusses the visual representation of quantum superposition by contemporary artists Jonathon Keats, Julian Voss-Andreae, Antony Gormley and Daniel Crooks; the problematic and paradoxical nature of such representations; and how these works might provoke a revision of our views of physical reality.

Quantum concepts in physics: an alternative approach to the understanding of quantum mechanics

Written for advanced undergraduates, physicists, and historians and philosophers of physics, this book tells the story of the development of our understanding of quantum phenomena through the extraordinary years of the first three decades of the twentieth century. Rather than following the standard axiomatic approach, this book adopts a historical perspective, explaining clearly and authoritatively how pioneers such as Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Pauli and Dirac developed the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and merged them into a coherent theory, and why the mathematical infrastructure of quantum mechanics has to be as complex as it is. The author creates a compelling narrative, providing a remarkable example of how physics and mathematics work in practice. The book encourages an enhanced appreciation of the interaction between mathematics, theory and experiment, helping the reader gain a deeper understanding of the development and content of quantum mechanics than any other text at this level.

The Potential of Using Quantum Theory to Build Models of Cognition

Quantum cognition research applies abstract, mathematical principles of quantum theory to inquiries in cognitive science. It differs fundamentally from alternative speculations about quantum brain processes. This topic presents new developments within this research program. In the introduction to this topic, we try to answer three questions: Why apply quantum concepts to human cognition? How is quantum cognitive modeling different from traditional cognitive modeling? What cognitive processes have been modeled using a quantum account? In addition, a brief introduction to quantum probability theory and a concrete example is provided to illustrate how a quantum cognitive model can be developed to explain paradoxical empirical findings in psychological literature.

Figuring Matter: Quantum Physics as a New Age Rhetoric

The language through which scientific advancements are relayed reflects specific social, political, and cultural needs and expectations, as well as specific constellations of hopes and anxieties. Constructions and applications of atomic discourse provide a material touchstone that is no less tangible than any other aspect of scientific enquiry. The 1970s New Age movement saw the deployment of quantum concepts with the publication of Fritjov Capra's (1975) widely popular The Tao of Physics and Gary Zukav's (1979) The Dancing Wu Li Masters, and from these publications the notions of quantum consciousness and quantum mysticism were born. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, the post-New Age concept of quantum healing began to structure a cluster of self-help programs, while at the same time quantum ‘get-rich’ schemes developed a presence on the internet. In these reconfigurations of the quantum, atomic particles have been transformed into vivified ‘agents’ whose unique movements and interactions promise to secure health, happiness, and wealth to self-directed and depoliticized consumers. The commodification inherent in this process extends increasingly to encompass areas of subjectivity—for example, spirituality—that historically have been considered immune to overt commercialization. This extension of the commodification process is evidenced in the way that quantum methodologies are commercialized and then sold to people as a means of advancing, not just their financial interests, but their spiritual well-being as well. The new economy of the atom also emerges from the late-twentieth and early twenty-first century retreat from the public sphere and the attendant atrophy of the public sphere as a site of interpersonal engagement. At the same time, the invocation and application of quantum rhetoric touches on a deep contemporary sense of being unmoored and the need for structured guidance as a means toward a renewed sense of control over one's life. The nomadic quality of quantum language and concepts ensures that, no matter what an individual's complaint or desire, there exists a quantum strategy to ameliorate or realize it. This remarkable adaptability marks twenty-first century quantum language as unique, not only within the discipline of physics, but also relative to all fields of scientific inquiry.

Malus’ law for X-ray radiation

Light propagation through a polarizer-analyzer system is investigated on the basis of quantum concepts about the nature of light. It is shown that Malus’ law, which is based on principles of classical electrodynamics, does not fully take into account all effects that can arise under light propagation through a polarizer-analyzer system. In particular, the phenomenon of a possible change in the light frequency is not considered, e.g., in the case of X-ray radiation. The derivation of Malus’ law based on quantum principles is presented. For comparison, the differential effective cross section of the interaction between a photon and an electron is found taking into account rotation of the photon polarization plane in the Compton effect.

Multiple interpretations by using pixel resonance concept

Human vision is highly sensitive to perceive the contrast for interpreting images, so that the neurons of the brain will be excited to make recognition of the surroundings. In this study, the test patterns were inspired to reach the neurons excitation via the proposed pixel resonance concept, and then the quantum concept of physics was employed with random walk behaviour to analyse the test patterns for multiple interpretations. In simulation, similar alphabetic letters (C, O) and Chinese characters (玉, 王) are selected. Subsequently, various extents of noise are added including the different mean values and related standard deviations for the two test patterns. The results showed that the corresponding resonance maps with various morphologies can generate multiple resonance outputs. Furthermore, the simulation results indicated that the peak signal-to-noise ratio curves match those of the resonance maps perceived by using human vision. Based on this approach, it is concluded that the proposed pixel resonance algorithm can effectively simulate the multiple interpretations of the human vision system. Further, a novel physical model was presented to generate multi-output patterns for a single image.

Furtive quantum sensing using matter-wave cloaks

We introduce the concept of furtive quantum sensing, demonstrating the possibility of concealing quantum objects from matter waves while maintaining their ability to interact and to get excited by the impinging particles. This is obtained by cloaking, with tailored homogeneous metamaterial layers, quantum systems having internal degrees of freedom. The effect is a low-observable quantum sensor with drastically reduced elastic scattering and optimized absorption levels, a concept that opens interesting venues in particle detection, high-efficiency electrical pumping, and quantum information processing.

Phase space path-integral formulation of the above-threshold ionization

Atoms and molecules submitted to a strong laser field can emit electrons of high energies in the above-threshold ionization (ATI) process. This process finds a highly intuitive and also quantitative explanation in terms of Feynman's path integral and the concept of quantum orbits [P. Salières et al., Science 292, 902 (2001)]10.1126/science.108836. However, the connection with the Feynman path-integral formalism is explained only by intuition and analogy and within the so-called strong-field approximation (SFA). Using the phase space path-integral formalism we have obtained an exact result for the momentum-space matrix element of the total time-evolution operator. Applying this result to the ATI we show that the SFA and the so-called improved SFA are, respectively, the zeroth- and the first-order terms of the expansion in powers of the laser-free effective interaction of the electron with the rest of the atom (molecule). We have also presented the second-order term of this expansion which is responsible for the ATI with double scattering of the ionized electron.

Degradation Study of Single and Double-Heterojunction InAlN/GaN HEMTs by Two-Dimensional Simulation

We study the concept of double-heterostructure quantum well (DHQW) InAlN/GaN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) for higher device robustness and less degradation. Physics-based device simulation proves that the back barrier blocks the carrier injection into the device buffer. However, the energy of the injected electrons in the buffer is higher for any quantum well design in InAlN /GaN than in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. This energy may be sufficient for releasing hydrogen from GaN point defects.

Quantum biology at the cellular level—Elements of the research program

Quantum biology is emerging as a new field at the intersection between fundamental physics and biology, promising novel insights into the nature and origin of biological order. We discuss several elements of QBCL (quantum biology at cellular level) – a research program designed to extend the reach of quantum concepts to higher than molecular levels of biological organization. We propose a new general way to address the issue of environmentally induced decoherence and macroscopic superpositions in biological systems, emphasizing the ‘basis-dependent’ nature of these concepts. We introduce the notion of ‘formal superposition’ and distinguish it from that of Schroedinger's cat (i.e., a superposition of macroscopically distinct states). Whereas the latter notion presents a genuine foundational problem, the former one contradicts neither common sense nor observation, and may be used to describe cellular ‘decision-making’ and adaptation. We stress that the interpretation of the notion of ‘formal superposition’ should involve non-classical correlations between molecular events in a cell. Further, we describe how better understanding of the physics of Life can shed new light on the mechanism driving evolutionary adaptation (viz., ‘Basis-Dependent Selection’, BDS). Experimental tests of BDS and the potential role of synthetic biology in closing the ‘evolvability mechanism’ loophole are also discussed.

Everett Interpretation and Quantum Concept of Consciousness

Subjective aspects of quantum mechanics (QM) are most radically expressed in the (EI) of QM which suggests coexisting macroscopically distinct configurations of the world in the form of a superposition of the (quasi-)classical state vectors. The components of such a superposition are often verbally denoted as Everett's worlds, hence the name Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) for EI. Explicit accounting the correlation of each classical configuration of the world with the corresponding state of an observer's mind yields the so-called Many-Minds interpretation (MMI). This is maximum that may be done in the context of EI if the restriction by pure physics is implied. In the author's Extended Everett Concept (EEC) the observer's consciousness is defined in the spirit of psycho-physical parallelism, i.e. as going beyond pure physics. As a consequence, according to EEC, an observer, if he/she weakens or turns off his/her consciousness (perception), obtains the ability of super-intuition (obtaining seemingly unavailable information) and even of controlling the subjective reality (a picture of classical reality as it will be subjectively perceived). This may be interpreted as a realization of the Jung's collective unconscious as well as an explanation of the mystical elements in Oriental philosophies, world religions and deep psychological practices. NeuroQuantology | March 2013 | Vol 11 | Issue 1 | Suppl 1 | Page 85-96

A novel scheduling model for computational grid using quantum genetic algorithm

The Computational Grid (CG) provides a wide distributed platform for high end computing intensive applications. Scheduling on Computational grid is known to be NP-Hard problem and requires an efficient solution. Recently, quantum inspired computing has been introduced in the literature to solve such a complex combinatorial optimization problem efficiently. Combination of Genetic Algorithm (GA) and quantum concept evolves a new meta-heuristic technique known as Quantum Genetic Algorithms (QGA). QGA is a search procedure based on evolutionary computation and Quantum Computing (QC). This paper proposes a novel technique of scheduling in computational grid using QGA. The work simulates the model to study its performance. It also makes a comparative study with a GA-based scheduling model. Simulation results reveal the effectiveness of the model.

Quantum mechanics versus relativity: an experimental test of the structure of spacetime

We have performed an experimental test under the conditions in which quantum mechanics predicts spatially discontinuous single-particle transport. The transport is beyond the relativistic paradigm of movement in Cartesian space and therefore may well be nonlocal. Our test has demonstrated that such transport does exist. This fact opens the door for a realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics in so far as the requirement of Lorentz invariance appears inapplicable to any version of quantum theory. Moreover, as quantum mechanics proposes a particle dynamics beyond relativity, it automatically requires an adequate ‘quantum’ concept of spacetime, for which the relativistic concept is only a limiting case. The quantum concept allows absolute simultaneity and hence revives the notion of absolute time. It also goes beyond the relativistic curvilinear Cartesian order of space to account for quantum phenomena such as discontinuity and nonlocality in the spirit of Bohm's concept of the implicate order.

Schrödinger equations with indefinite effective mass

The consistency of the concept of quantum (quasi)particles possessing effective mass which is both position- and excitation-dependent is analyzed via simplified models. It is shown that the system may be stable even when the effective mass m=m(x,E) itself acquires negative values in a limited range of coordinates x and energies E.

Near-Field Imaging with Sound: An Acoustic STM Model

The invention of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) 30 years ago opened up a visual window to the nano-world and sparked off a bunch of new methods for investigating and controlling matter and its transformations at the atomic and molecular level.1 However, an adequate theoretical understanding of the method is demanding; STM images can be considered quantum theory condensed into a pictorial representation. A hands-on model is presented for demonstrating the imaging principles in introductory teaching. It uses sound waves and computer visualization to create mappings of acoustic resonators. The macroscopic simile is made possible by quantum-classical analogies between matter and sound waves. Grounding STM in acoustic experience may help to make the underlying quantum concepts such as tunneling less abstract to students.

Is there space for the quantum domain in consciousness research?: Comment on ‘Consciousness, biology, and quantum hypotheses’ by Baars and Edelman

There is an enduring resistance against accepting that the quantum domain in physics could play an important role in the study of consciousness. The traditional argumentation manifests in a list of ‘necessary structure–function relations’ and as this list grows it is increasingly viewed as a straight line causation for the variable under observation (a conscious perceptive state). In this issue Baars and Edelman very competently review a list of such features that builds on the cellular and cell-population level in the human brain and they argue, that processes established at the more radical level in physics, the atomic or quantum scale, are not part of this list, at least at present [1]. Assuming that the growing number of correlation studies in the psychobiology of conscious perception implies an unresolved causal structure, the question is, do we need physical conceptions beyond the traditional electrochemical framework, e.g. quantum concepts, to eventually achieve more causal explanations for the phenomenon of conscious experience? Based on the fact that quantum experimentation in the living brain is out of reach at this moment and therefore direct experimental evidence for the role of quantum concepts in consciousness studies is still missing, Baars and Edelman’s answer to this question is a ‘conditional no’, the condition being a granted possibility for future developments. In my own view to further illuminate if and how quantum concepts play a role in consciousness research requires a distinction between two sets of questions involved. First, it needs to be shown whether there are unique quantum properties that are sufficiently robust and functionally relevant within the (physical) macroscopic environment of the brain [2]. Second, if we can find such properties, the question is whether there is at least a conditional role for these quantum characters within a causal chain relating brain dynamics to consciousness. Progress has been made around the first question. Strong evidence has accumulated that typical quantum scaled interactions, such as between system coherences (entanglement), can leave their traces in classical domains (reviewed by Vedral [7]), even at warm temperatures and biological environments [4] and across macroscopical scales [5]. There the search for ‘quantum witness states’ [7], i.e. for states that are classical but carry distinct signatures of an underlying quantum property, is particularly promising (e.g. molecules that shape electrical membrane signals due to quantum interferences among their constituent atoms). We have recently provided modelistic evidence that this could in fact apply to two major characteristics of neural signals, to the dynamical shapes of action potentials [3] and to the ion-selectivity of voltagesensitive ion channels that produce these signals [6]. These studies offer predictions but still have to be tested for their possible role mentioned in the second question: Can the signal characteristic dissociate non-conscious from conscious

Synchronicities of Carl Jung Interpreted in Quantum Concept of Consciousness

The phenomenon of synchronicities which has been first described by Carl Jung, is explained in the framework of Extended Everett Concept proposed by the author. EEC differs from the Everett's “many-worlds interpretation” of quantum mechanics in that it explicitly includes the phenomena of consciousness, super-intuition (direct vision of truth) and ability to choose the version of reality which is to be subjectively experienced. Extended Everett Concept can explain synchronicities since, according to this theory, the subjective perception of reality by humans is governed not only by material causes but also by goals that may be immaterial (words, images or ideas). NeuroQuantology | September 2012 | Volume 10 | Issue 3 | Page 468-481

Photon statistics as an experimental test discriminating between theories of spin-selective radical–ion-pair reactions

Radical–ion-pair reactions were recently shown to represent a rich biophysical laboratory for the application of quantum measurement theory methods and concepts. We here propose a concrete experimental test that can clearly discriminate among the fundamental master equations currently attempting to describe the quantum dynamics of these reactions. The proposed measurement based on photon statistics of fluorescing radical pairs is shown to be molecular-model-independent and capable of elucidating the singlet–triplet decoherence inherent in the radical–ion-pair recombination process.