The derivation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP) from the Uncertainty Theorem of Fourier Transform theory demonstrates that the HUP arises from the dependency of momentum on a wave number that exists at the quantum level. It also establishes that the HUP is purely a relationship between the effective widths of Fourier transform pairs of variables (i.e. conjugate variables). We note that the HUP is not a quantum mechanical measurement principle per se. We introduce the Quantum Mechanical equivalent of the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem of Fourier Transform theory, and show that it is a better principle to describe the measurement limitations of Quantum Mechanics. We show that Brillouin zones in Solid State Physics are a manifestation of the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem at the quantum level. By comparison with other fields where Fourier Transform theory is used, we propose that we need todiscern between measurement limitations and inherent limitations when interpreting the impact of the HUP on the nature of the quantum level. We further propose that while measurement limitations result in our perception of indeterminism at the quantum level, there is no evidence that there are any inherent limitations at the quantum level, based on the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem
The derivation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP) from the Uncertainty Theorem of Fourier Transform theory demonstrates that the HUP arises from the dependency of momentum on wave number that exists at the quantum level. It also establishes that the HUP is purely a relationship between the effective widths of Fourier transform pairs of variables (i.e. conjugate variables). We note that the HUP is not a quantum mechanical measurement principle per se. We introduce the Quantum Mechanical equivalent of the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem of Fourier Transform theory, and show that it is a better principle to describe the measurement limitations of Quantum Mechanics. We show that Brillouin zones in Solid State physics are a manifestation of the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem at the quantum level. By comparison with other fields where Fourier Transform theory is used, we propose that we need to discern between measurement limitations and inherent limitations when interpreting the impact of the HUP on the nature of the quantum level. We further propose that while measurement limitations result in our perception of indeterminism at the quantum level, there is no evidence that there are any inherent limitations at the quantum level, based on the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem.
Previously, Bennet and Feynman asked if Heisenberg's uncertainty principle puts a limitation on a quantum computer (Quantum Mechanical Computers, Richard P. Feynman, Foundations of Physics, Vol. 16, No. 6, p597-531, 1986). Feynman's answer was negative. In this paper, we will revisit the same question for the discrete time Fourier transform uncertainty principle. We will show that the discrete time Fourier transform uncertainty principle plays a fundamental role in showing that Shor's type of quantum algorithms has efficient running time and conclude that the discrete time uncertainty principle is an aid in our current formulation and understanding of Shor's type of quantum algorithms. It turns out that for these algorithms, the probability of measuring an element in some set
T (at the end of the algorithm) can be written in terms of the time-limiting and band-limiting operators from finite Fourier analysis. Associated with these operators is the finite Fourier transform uncertainty principle. The uncertainty principle provides a lower bound for the above probability. We will derive lower bounds for these types of probabilities in general. We will call these lower bounds quantum algorithm uncertainty principles or QAUP. QAUP are important because they give us some sense of the probability of measuring something desirable. We will use these lower bounds to derive Shor's factoring and discrete log algorithms.