Wave-particle duality and `bipartite' wave functions for a single particle

Abstract

It is shown that `bipartite' wave functions can present a mathematical formalism of quantum theory for a single particle, in which the associated Schrödinger's wave functions correspond to those `bipartite' wave functions of product forms. This extension of Schrödinger's form establishes a mathematical expression of wave-particle duality and that von Neumann's entropy is a quantitative measure of complementarity between wave-like and particle-like behaviors. In particular, this formalism suggests that collapses of Schrödinger's wave functions can be regarded as the simultaneous transition of the particle from many levels to one. Our results shed considerable light on the basis of quantum mechanics, including quantum measurement.