Uploaded July 2019 | Updated September 2026, 20 hours ago
From the LHC to quantum optics experiments, performing measurements on quantum fields where we obtain information about its state is commonplace in modern physics. The theoretical formalization of these measurements typically has two extreme approaches: one, common in quantum optics, is very experiment-driven and based on a number of simplifications that are incompatible with the relativistic nature of the theory and often catastrophically fail to describe the light matter interaction in any regime where relativity actually plays a role. The other is very abstract and arguably removed from experiment, based on measurements on local algebras of observables, treating them as elements of physical reality. Both of them present challenges and problems to make themselves compatible with a relativistic description of the field theory and to describe an experimental reality. We will discuss this and give an operational perspective on what it means to extract information from quantum fields arguing that the detector system and its interaction with the field are not only important, but even ontologically crucial to the notion of measurements in quantum fields . This is strongly connected with the notion of particle in quantum field theory, and the notion of “particle detectors”.
Foundations of Quantum Field Theory: 2019 Annual Philosophy of Physics Conference
June 12 - 14, 2019
Eduardo Martin-Martinez, University of Waterloo
Visit the Rotman website for more information on applications, events, project descriptions, and openings. rotman.uwo.ca
Follow The Rotman Institute on Twitter: twitter.com/rotmanphilo
Like The Rotman Institute on Facebook: facebook.com/rotmanphilosophy
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/rotmanphilosophy
From the LHC to quantum optics experiments, performing measurements on quantum fields where we obtain information about its state is commonplace in modern physics. The theoretical formalization of these measurements typically has two extreme approaches: one, common in quantum optics, is very experiment-driven and based on a number of simplifications that are incompatible with the relativistic nature of the theory and often catastrophically fail to describe the light matter interaction in any regime where relativity actually plays a role. The other is very abstract and arguably removed from experiment, based on measurements on local algebras of observables, treating them as elements of physical reality. Both of them present challenges and problems to make themselves compatible with a relativistic description of the field theory and to describe an experimental reality. We will discuss this and give an operational perspective on what it means to extract information from quantum fields arguing that the detector system and its interaction with the field are not only important, but even ontologically crucial to the notion of measurements in quantum fields . This is strongly connected with the notion of particle in quantum field theory, and the notion of “particle detectors”.
Foundations of Quantum Field Theory: 2019 Annual Philosophy of Physics Conference
June 12 - 14, 2019
Eduardo Martin-Martinez, University of Waterloo
Visit the Rotman website for more information on applications, events, project descriptions, and openings. rotman.uwo.ca
Follow The Rotman Institute on Twitter: twitter.com/rotmanphilo
Like The Rotman Institute on Facebook: facebook.com/rotmanphilosophy
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/rotmanphilosophy
