A remark on the uncertainty principle for Hilbertian basis (Q1110037): Difference between revisions

If \(\psi \in L^ 2(R,dx)\) has the property that \(x| \psi (x)| \in L^ 2\), define \[ (\Delta x)_{\psi}=(\int | x-\bar x|^ 2| \psi (x)|^ 2dx)^{1/2},\quad (\Delta \xi)_{\psi}=(\int | \xi -{\bar \xi}|^ 2| {\hat \psi}(\xi)|^ 2d\xi)^{1/2}, \] \[ where\quad \bar x=\int x| \psi (x)|^ 2dx,\quad {\bar \xi}=\int \xi | {\hat \psi}(\xi)|^ 2d\xi. \] Here \({\bar \psi}\) is the Fourier transform of \(\psi\). Given \(\rho >1/\sqrt{2}\), the author constructs a complete orthonormal basis \(\{\psi_ i\}\) for \(L^ 2\) such that \((\Delta x)_{\psi_ i}<\rho\) and \((\Delta \xi)_{\psi_ i}<\rho\) for each i. A complete orthonormal basis \(\{\psi_ i\}\) for which \((\Delta x)_{\psi}(\Delta \xi)_{\psi}<\infty\) had previously been constructed by Y. Meyer while R. Balian had shown that the uncertainty principle forces orthonormal bases \(\{\psi_ i\}\) constructed from translations of a fixed wave function to have the property \((\Delta x)_{\psi}(\Delta \xi)_{\psi}=\infty\). In this regard, the uncertainty principle states that \((\Delta x)_{\psi}(\Delta \xi)_{\psi}\geq 1/2.\) The author also remarks that he has a higher dimensional generalization.