Conceptual inadequacy of the Shannon information in quantum measurements
Abstract
In a classical measurement the Shannon information is a natural measure of our ignorance about properties of a system. There, observation removes that ignorance in revealing properties of the system which can be considered to preexist prior to and independent of observation. Because of the completely different root of a quantum measurement as compared to a classical measurement, conceptual difficulties arise when we try to define the information gain in a quantum measurement using the notion of Shannon information. The reason is that, in contrast to classical measurements, quantum measurements, with very few exceptions, cannot be claimed to reveal a property of the individual quantum system existing before the measurement is performed.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- February 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.63.022113
- arXiv:
- arXiv:quant-ph/0006087
- Bibcode:
- 2001PhRvA..63b2113B
- Keywords:
-
- 03.65.Ta;
- 03.67.-a;
- Foundations of quantum mechanics;
- measurement theory;
- Quantum information;
- Quantum Physics
- E-Print:
- 11 pages, 5 figures, important Ref. [6] is now cited in all appropriate places