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Copenhagen's single system premise prevents a unified view of integer and fractional quantum hall effect
Author(s) -
Post Evert Jan
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3889(199905)8:5<405::aid-andp405>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - quantum hall effect , theoretical physics , physics , quantum , fractional quantum hall effect , physical system , quantum mechanics , mathematics , statistical physics , quantum spin hall effect , electron
This essay presents conclusive evidence of the impermissibility of Copenhagen's single system interpretation of the Schroedinger process. The latter needs to be viewed as a tool exclusively describing phase and orientation randomized ensembles and is not be used for isolated single systems. Asymptotic closeness of single system and ensemble behavior and the rare nature of true single system manifestations have prevented a definitive identification of this Copenhagen deficiency over the past three quarter century. Quantum uncertainty so becomes a basic trade mark of phase and orientation disordered ensembles. The ensuing void of usable single system tools opens a new inquiry for tools without statistical connotations. Three, in part already known, period integrals here identified as flux, charge and action counters emerge as diffeo‐4 invariant tools fully compatible with the demands of the general theory of relativity. The discovery of the quantum Hall effect has been instrumental in forcing a distinction between ensemble disorder as in the normal Hall effect versus ensemble order in the plateau states. Since the order of the latter permits a view of the plateau states as a macro‐ or meso‐scopic single system, the period integral description applies, yielding a straightforward unified description of integer and fractional quantum Hall effects.