Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Uncertainty R elations for Information E ntropy in Wave M echanics

Iwo Biatynicki-Birula, Jerzy Mycielski

Published Jan 1, 1975• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

New uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics are derived. They express restrictions imposed by quantum theory on probability distributions of canonically conjugate variables in terms of corresponding information entropies. The Heisenberg uncertainty relation follows from those inequalities and so does the Gross-Nelson inequality. The purpose of this paper is to derive a new, stronger version of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation in wave mechanics. This new uncertainty relation has a simple interpretation in terms of information theory. It is also closely related to newly discovered logarithmic Sobolev inequalities. The new uncertainty relation has the form (for wave functions normalized to unity)

Related papers

Two new uncertainty relations and their applications

Martina Lužová

The historical development of uncertainty relation, begining with first Heisenberg's thoughts of uncertainty principle is summed up in this thesis. After proving validity of Schwarz inequality general uncertainty relation for two hermitian operators is obtained, and from this general version the validity of Heisenberg uncertainty relation is than proved. The most important part of this work is the obtention of two new uncertainty relations, which are stronger then Heisenberg or Robertson-Schrödinger uncertainty relation, and their specific form for two examples - a free particle in a state discribed by the gaussian wave packet and the linear harmonic oscillator with a wave function in the shape of gaussian packet.

•Jan 1, 2012•0 citations

Some entropic extensions of the uncertainty principle

Steeve Zozor, M. Portesi, Christophe Vignat

In connection with the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics (Heisenberg) or in time-frequency analysis (Heisenberg-Gabor), we study its formulation in terms of entropic inequalities, extending results recently derived by Bialynicki-Birula [1] and Zozor et al. [2]. These results can be considered as generalizations of the Heisenberg inequalities in the sense that they measure the mutual uncertainty of a random variable (or wave function) and its conjugated random variable (or Fourier transformed wave function) through their associated Rényi entropies with conjugated indexes. We consider here the more general case where the entropic indexes are not conjugated, in both cases where the state space is discrete and continuous: we discuss the existence of an uncertainty inequality depending on the location of the entropic indexes α and β in the plane (α, β). Our results explain and extend a recent study by Luis [3], where states with quantum fluctuations below the Gaussian case are discussed at the single point (2, 2).

IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT)•Jul 1, 2008•0 citations

Uncertainty relations: a small zoo of remarkable inequalities discovered since 1927

V. V. Dodonov

A concise review of various mathematical formulations of the uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics discovered since 1927 is given. Besides the traditional Heisenberg inequality, the modifications made by Schrödinger and Robertson, as well as generalizations to sets of several noncommuting operators, are considered. The "entropic" inequalities and "local" uncertainty relations, together with inequalities which connect the so-called total width and the mean peak width of a wave function, are discussed. Inequalities for the products of higher order moments of the coordinate and momentum are presented. Inequalities making the uncertainty relations more accurate when the "purity" of a quantum state is fixed are demonstrated. Diverse formulations of the energy-time uncertainty relations are considered.

quant-pharXiv:2603.07293•Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Física•Mar 10, 2026•1 citation

Entropy-power uncertainty relations: towards a tight inequality for all Gaussian pure states

Anaelle Hertz, Michael G Jabbour, Nicolas J. Cerf

Abstract We show that a proper expression of the uncertainty relation for a pair of canonically-conjugate continuous variables relies on entropy power, a standard notion in Shannon information theory for real-valued signals. The resulting entropy-power uncertainty relation is equivalent to the entropic formulation of the uncertainty relation due to Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski, but can be further extended to rotated variables. Hence, based on a reasonable assumption, we give a partial proof of a tighter form of the entropy-power uncertainty relation taking correlations into account and provide extensive numerical evidence of its validity. Interestingly, it implies the generalized (rotation-invariant) Schrödinger–Robertson uncertainty relation exactly as the original entropy-power uncertainty relation implies Heisenberg relation. It is saturated for all Gaussian pure states, in contrast with hitherto known entropic formulations of the uncertainty principle.

arXiv:1702.07286•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Aug 9, 2017•18 citations

Role of information theoretic uncertainty relations in quantum theory

Petr Jizba B, Jacob Dunningham, Jaewoo Joo

Uncertainty relations based on information theory for both discrete and continuous distribution functions are briefly reviewed. We extend these results to account for (differential) Rényi entropy and its related entropy power. This allows us to find a new class of information-theoretic uncertainty relations (ITURs). The potency of such uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics is illustrated with a simple two-energy-level model where they outperform both the usual Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty relation and Shannon entropy based uncertainty relation. In the continuous case the ensuing entropy power uncertainty relations are discussed in the context of heavy tailed wave functions and Schrödinger cat states. Again, improvement over both the Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty principle and Shannon ITUR is demonstrated in these cases. Further salient issues such as the proof of a generalized entropy power inequality and a geometric picture of information-theoretic uncertainty relations are also discussed.

•Apr 1, 2015•35 citations

Information Entropy and Uncertainty Relations

Henry E Montgomery Jr

Information entropy is introduced as a measure of quantum mechanical uncertainty. An uncertainty relation based on information entropy is obtained as an alternative to the Heisenberg inequality. In two typical examples, the entropic uncertainty relation is shown to be bounded in situations where the Heisenberg inequality diverges or grows too large to be useful.

The Chemical Educator•Apr 18, 2002•9 citations
New uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics are derived. They express restrictions imposed by quantum theory on probability distributions of canonically conjugate variables in terms of corresponding information entropies. The Heisenberg uncertainty relation follows from those inequalities and so does the Gross-Nelson inequality. The purpose of this paper is to derive a new, stronger version of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation in wave mechanics. This new uncertainty relation has a simple interpretation in terms of information theory. It is also closely related to newly discovered logarithmic Sobolev inequalities. The new uncertainty relation has the form (for wave functions normalized to unity)
The historical development of uncertainty relation, begining with first Heisenberg's thoughts of uncertainty principle is summed up in this thesis. After proving validity of Schwarz inequality general uncertainty relation for two hermitian operators is obtained, and from this general version the validity of Heisenberg uncertainty relation is than proved. The most important part of this work is the obtention of two new uncertainty relations, which are stronger then Heisenberg or Robertson-Schrödinger uncertainty relation, and their specific form for two examples - a free particle in a state discribed by the gaussian wave packet and the linear harmonic oscillator with a wave function in the shape of gaussian packet.
In connection with the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics (Heisenberg) or in time-frequency analysis (Heisenberg-Gabor), we study its formulation in terms of entropic inequalities, extending results recently derived by Bialynicki-Birula [1] and Zozor et al. [2]. These results can be considered as generalizations of the Heisenberg inequalities in the sense that they measure the mutual uncertainty of a random variable (or wave function) and its conjugated random variable (or Fourier transformed wave function) through their associated Rényi entropies with conjugated indexes. We consider here the more general case where the entropic indexes are not conjugated, in both cases where the state space is discrete and continuous: we discuss the existence of an uncertainty inequality depending on the location of the entropic indexes α and β in the plane (α, β). Our results explain and extend a recent study by Luis [3], where states with quantum fluctuations below the Gaussian case are discussed at the single point (2, 2).
A concise review of various mathematical formulations of the uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics discovered since 1927 is given. Besides the traditional Heisenberg inequality, the modifications made by Schrödinger and Robertson, as well as generalizations to sets of several noncommuting operators, are considered. The "entropic" inequalities and "local" uncertainty relations, together with inequalities which connect the so-called total width and the mean peak width of a wave function, are discussed. Inequalities for the products of higher order moments of the coordinate and momentum are presented. Inequalities making the uncertainty relations more accurate when the "purity" of a quantum state is fixed are demonstrated. Diverse formulations of the energy-time uncertainty relations are considered.
Abstract We show that a proper expression of the uncertainty relation for a pair of canonically-conjugate continuous variables relies on entropy power, a standard notion in Shannon information theory for real-valued signals. The resulting entropy-power uncertainty relation is equivalent to the entropic formulation of the uncertainty relation due to Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski, but can be further extended to rotated variables. Hence, based on a reasonable assumption, we give a partial proof of a tighter form of the entropy-power uncertainty relation taking correlations into account and provide extensive numerical evidence of its validity. Interestingly, it implies the generalized (rotation-invariant) Schrödinger–Robertson uncertainty relation exactly as the original entropy-power uncertainty relation implies Heisenberg relation. It is saturated for all Gaussian pure states, in contrast with hitherto known entropic formulations of the uncertainty principle.
Uncertainty relations based on information theory for both discrete and continuous distribution functions are briefly reviewed. We extend these results to account for (differential) Rényi entropy and its related entropy power. This allows us to find a new class of information-theoretic uncertainty relations (ITURs). The potency of such uncertainty relations in quantum mechanics is illustrated with a simple two-energy-level model where they outperform both the usual Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty relation and Shannon entropy based uncertainty relation. In the continuous case the ensuing entropy power uncertainty relations are discussed in the context of heavy tailed wave functions and Schrödinger cat states. Again, improvement over both the Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty principle and Shannon ITUR is demonstrated in these cases. Further salient issues such as the proof of a generalized entropy power inequality and a geometric picture of information-theoretic uncertainty relations are also discussed.