Quantum Mechanics

Inventors

Contributors

Fields

Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger

Paul Dirac, Max Born, Wolfgang, Pauli, Richard Feynmann, John von Neumann

Physics, Mathematics

Quantum Mechanics was one of the great revolutions in 20th century physics. It deals, ostensibly with the very small. That is atomic scale or smaller. However there are also macroscopic manifestations such as superconductivity and superfluidity.

In the 1920's two independent but equivalent formulations of the theory were developed.

  • Matrix mechanics - by Heisenberg
  • Wave mechanics - by Schrödinger

Specific formulations are emerging that are aimed at Quantum information theory. There are also recent axiomatic approaches.

Some of the basic principles of Quantum Mechanics can be understood from an analysis of 2-level systems.