Explaining Duality Without Complementarity or "Which Way" and Also Retro-Causality and Non-Locality

Sarma N. Gullapalli

An Axiom is presented and justified which (a) Explains duality in interference without complementarity or “which way” (welcher-weg) observation (b) Shows the equivalence: Coherence and alignment ≡ Interference ≡ No “which way” observation; No coherence or alignment ≡ No interference ≡ “which way” observation (c) Explains Wheeler’s delayed choice thought experiment (d) Explains results of experimental implementations of Wheeler’s experiment which show retro-causality with and without entanglement (e) Explains non-local action at a distance, and (f) Rephrases Albert Einstein’s unanswered question “Is quantum mechanics complete?” at a more fundamental level than just duality and non-locality. The explanation given does not require that the particle (photon) somehow “know” about the test setup or “which way” observation or change its behavior from particle to wave and vice versa as required by currently accepted explanation based on Niels Bohr’s complementarity principle. No new assumptions are made, only a new complete interpretation of probability which is already a fundamental assumption of quantum mechanics.

Steven P. Sourbron

Menas C. Kafatos

Sarma N. Gullapalli

Interference with or without entanglement has been recognized as a key resource for quantum computing and quantum communications systems, as for example discussed by Nielsen and Chuang1 and numerous other works. Multiple paths between sources and detectors require an understanding of the underpinning wave-particle duality issue in the interference effects. Recently a new axiom (particle and its wave function φ(r, t) cannot be coincident or co-located at space-time point (rk, tk) unless φ(r, t) = δ(r-rk, t-tk) the Dirac delta function) has been suggested2 and justified, which explains duality without Niels Bohr’s complementarity principle, thus eliminating the role of the observer, avoiding complicated “which way” (welcher-weg) considerations and observer subjectivity. This greatly simplifies analysis and design of multi-path quantum systems and restores objectivity. The same paper also suggested in the context of entanglement new concepts of (a) “total causality” that includes entanglement as a cause to locally and causally explain “action at a distance”, and (b) “partial causality” that excludes entanglement as a cause and thereby introduces the perception of strange phenomena of non-locality, retro-causality and quantum erasure, which are nevertheless very important. This paper reviews and then applies the axiom to bring much needed clarity to certain confusing and much debated aspects of developments in non-interaction measurements, counterfactual communications and quantum computers. These potential clarifications and simplifications of analysis and design of multi path systems may help developers of future quantum communication and quantum computer systems.

pSarma N Gullapallip

Early on, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr heatedly debated wave-particle duality. To explain duality Bohr postulated his principle of complementarity, which is now widely accepted, but has mystifying metaphysical implications. Albert Einstein disagreed. Richard Feynman called it the “only mystery�? in quantum mechanics. Ingenious experiments including those using entanglement have confirmed Bohr’s complementarity. In this paper a new Duality Theorem is presented with proof which explains duality with particle always remaining particle and wave always remaining wave throughout, without using wave-particle complementarity or “which way�? (welcher-weg) observation. We explain results of reported experiments by showing the equivalence: Coherence and alignment ≡ Interference ≡ No “which way�? observation; No coherence or alignment ≡ No interference ≡ “which way�? observation That is, complementarity is redundant; conventional criteria of alignment and coherence alone suffice for interference. Our explanation does not require that photon somehow “know�? about the test setup or “which way�? observation and change its behavior from particle to wave and vice versa. No new assumptions are made, only new reasoning. In the context of entanglement we also help explain non-local action at a distance, and rephrase Albert Einstein’s unanswered question “Is quantum mechanics complete?�? at a more fundamental level.

Pierre Jasselette