Experimental measurement tradeoffs, from Heisenberg to Aharonov to quantum data compression

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:16090054,
            doi = {10.48660/16090054},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/16090054},
            author = {Steinberg, Aephraim},
            keywords = {Quantum Foundations},
            language = {en},
            title = {Experimental measurement tradeoffs, from Heisenberg to Aharonov to quantum data compression},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2016},
            month = {sep},
            note = {PIRSA:16090054 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

Tradeoffs in measurement and information are among the central themes of quantum mechanics. I will try to summarize in this talk a few of our experiments related to modern views of these topics. In particular, I will try to give an example or two of the power of "weak measurements," both for fundamental physics and for possible precision metrology. One example will involve revisiting the question of Heisenberg's famous principle, and an interpretation which is widespread but has now been experimentally shown to be incorrect. Then I will also discuss our recent work on a "quantum data compression" protocol which would allow a small-scale quantum memory to store all the extractable information from a larger ensemble of identically prepared systems. Finally, I will talk about our experiment entangling two optical beams to demonstrate "weak-value amplification," and the ongoing controversy about when if ever this technique could be useful in practice.