Quantum Randomness and Indeterminism in Physical Systems
Summary
Quantum physics diverges fundamentally from classical determinism through the intrinsic unpredictability of measurement outcomes. At the heart lies the probabilistic nature of wavefunction collapse and the formal constraints imposed by no-go theorems, which prohibit a hidden-variable account that uniformly attributes pre-existing values to all observables. These principles yield true quantum randomness, underpinning secure cryptographic protocols, randomness certification and quantum computational advantage. Complementarity and nonlocal correlations further reinforce indeterminism across diverse platforms, from photonic circuits to solid-state qubits. Beyond practical applications, the indeterminate character of quantum events has inspired alternative mathematical frameworks, philosophical inquiry into the nature of information and the quest for a coherent picture of reality in which physical systems evolve without classical predictability.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have advanced the generation of certified quantum randomness by harnessing three-dimensional observables to ensure value indefiniteness. One investigation constructs a binary quantum random number generator based on three-dimensional measurements, achieving maximal unpredictability and uniform distribution of output bits. This approach overcomes the limitations of lower-dimensional systems and strengthens the security foundations of quantum cryptography by certifying irreducible randomness at the component level.
Quantum Randomness and Indeterminism in Physical Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in quantum randomness and indeterminism in physical systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Value indefiniteness: The property that certain quantum observables lack predetermined values prior to measurement, formalised by no-go theorems.
Kochen–Specker theorem: A result proving the impossibility of assigning consistent definite values to all quantum observables simultaneously.
Quantum random number generator: A device exploiting intrinsic quantum unpredictability to produce sequences of bits with certified randomness.
Intuitionistic mathematics: A branch of mathematical logic rejecting the law of excluded middle, suited to modelling processes where truth emerges over time.
References
- Binary quantum random number generator based on value indefinite observables. Scientific Reports (2024).
- Indeterminism in physics and intuitionistic mathematics. Synthese (2021).
- Indeterminism in Physics, Classical Chaos and Bohmian Mechanics: Are Real Numbers Really Real?. Erkenntnis (2019).
- The Relativity of Indeterminacy. Entropy (2021).
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