PIRSA:14030114 Scientific Series Condensed Matter

DOI10.48660/14030114

Series: Quantum Matter

Spekkens, R. (2014). Are superselection rules fundamental?. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/14030114

Spekkens, Robert. Are superselection rules fundamental?. Perimeter Institute, Mar. 14, 2014, https://pirsa.org/14030114 

@misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:14030114,
  doi = {10.48660/14030114},
  url = {https://pirsa.org/14030114},
  author = {Spekkens, Robert},
  keywords = {Condensed Matter},
  language = {en},
  title = {Are superselection rules fundamental?},
  publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
  year = {2014},
  month = {mar},
  note = {PIRSA:14030114 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
}

Abstract

Superselection rules in quantum theory assert the impossibility of preparing coherent superpositions of certain conserved quantities. For instance, it is commonly presumed that there is a superselection rule for charge and for baryon number, as well as a "univalence superselection rule" forbidding a coherent superposition of a fermion and a boson. I will show how many superselection rules can be effectively lifted using a reference frame for the variable that is conjugate to the conserved quantity. I will also discuss subtleties related to the univalence superselection rule.

Resources

Next talk

Related Talks