Quantum theory is one of the most fascinating and successful constructs in the intellectual history of mankind. Nonetheless, the theory has very shaky philosophical foundations.
This book contains thoughtful discussions by eminent researchers of a spate of experimental techniques newly developed to test some of the stranger predictions of quantum physics. The advances considered include recent experiments in quantum optics, electron and ion interferometry, photon down conversion in nonlinear crystals, single trapped ions interacting with laser beams, atom-field coupling in micromaser cavities, quantum computation, quantum cryptography, decoherence and macroscopic quantum effects, the quantum state diffusion model, quantum gravity, the quantum mechanics of cosmology and quantum non-locality along with the continuing debate surrounding the interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Audience: The book is intended for physicists, philosophers of science, mathematicians, graduate students and those interested in the foundations of quantum theory.

Inhalt

1. The Hidden-Measurement Formalism: Quantum Mechanics as a Consequence of Fluctuations on the Measurement.- 2. A Model with Varying Fluctuations in the Measurement Context.- 3. Short-Time Behavior and Zero Effect in Relativistic Quantum Field Theory.- 4. A Minimal Local Extension of the Quantum Formalism.- 5. Chaos and Decoherence in a Quantum System with a Regular Classical Counterpart.- 6. Quantum Computation.- 7. Superdiffusive Behavior in Weakly Chaotic Systems: A New Avenue to Quantum Macroscopic Manifestations.- 8. A Proof with 18 Vectors of the Bell-Kochen-Specker Theorem.- 9. Temporal Bell Inequalities and the Uncertainty Principle.- 10. Parametric Down-Conversion Experiments in the Wigner Representation.- 11. Negative Entropy in Quantum Information Theory.- 12. Stochastic Approach to the Tunnel Effect.- 13. Classical Physical Entities with a Quantum Description.- 14. Dynamical Effects Generated by the Current Fluctuations in a Long Solenoid.- 15. Coherent States and the Measurement Problem.- 16. Contextualism, Locality, and the No-Go Theorems.- 17. A State-Specific Proof of the Bell-Kochen-Specker Theorem Using Only 5 Propositions.- 18. Properties of a Causal Qauntum Theory in Phase Space.- 19. From Quantum to Classical: the Quantum State Diffusion Model.- 20. Quantum Physics and the Problem of the Ontological Priority Between Continuous Quantity and Discrete Quantity.- 21. Localized and Delocalized States in Pyramidal Molecules.- 22. A Bigger Contradiction Between Quantum Theory and Locality for Two Particles without Inequalities.- 23. Irreversible Quantum Evolution for Unstable Systems in Lax-Phillips Scattering Theory.- 24. Dichotomic Functions and Bell's Theorems.- 25. Production and Uses of Hyper-Entangled States.- 26. From Newton to Schrödinger andBeyond.- 27. Quenching of Spontaneous Emission via Quantum Interference: Time Evolution.- 28. Quantum Mechanics on Discrete Space and Time.- 29. Symplectic Tomography of Schrödinger Cat States of a Trapped Ion.- 30. Magical Photon or Real Zeropoint?.- 31. Linear and Nonlinear Optical Response of a Dilute Bose Gas in the Condensation Regime.- 32. Quantum Measurement and Practice in Nuclear Physics.- 33. Quantum Predictions without Nonlocal Projections.- 34. The Emergence of Statistical Laws in Quantum Mechanics.- 35. Consistent Histories: A Critique.- 36. Immaterial Interpretation of Quantum Theory in the Context of Quantum Cosmology.- 37. Atom Interferometry for Quantum Gravity?.- 38. Quantum Nonlocality and Inseparability.- 39. Decoherence Limits to Quantum Factoring.- 40. Quantum Engineering with Trapped Ions.- 41. Many-Valued Interpretation of the Logic of Quantum Mechanics.- 42. No Point Particles, Definitely no Waves.- 43. Interference and Violation of Bell's Inequalities Using Separate Sources.- 44. Bell's Inequality for a Particle.- 45. Quantum Gravity Corrections for the Initial State of Gravitons.- 46. Quantum Privacy Amplification: A Secure Method for Cryptography.- 47. The Program of Local Hidden Variables.- 48. Noninvariant Velocity of Light and Locally Equivalent Reference Frames.- 49. Quantum Interferometry, Measurement and Objectivity: Some Basic Features Revisited.- 50. Effect of QED Fluctuations on the Dynamics of the Macroscopic Phase.- 51. What When Gleason's Theorem Fails?.- 52. Quantum Decoherence Induced by Gravitational Fluctuations in the Measurement Apparatus.- 53. Schrödinger Cat States in Quantum Optics.- 54. An Experimental Realization of Bohm's Spin-1/2 Particle EPR Gedanken Experiment.- 55. What is Achieved by Decoherence?.-Author Index.