Heisenberg picture

English

Etymology

Largely due to Werner Heisenberg in 1925.

Noun

Heisenberg picture (plural Heisenberg pictures)

1. (quantum mechanics) A formulation of quantum mechanics in which the operators (observables and others) incorporate a dependency on time, but the state vectors are time-independent, an arbitrary fixed basis rigidly underlying the theory. It stands in contrast to the Schrödinger picture in which the operators are constant, and further serves to define a third, hybrid picture, the interaction picture.

   Synonym: Heisenberg representation