A Categorical Framework for Wave-Particle Complementarity: Continuous Observable Structures and Fourier-Pontryagin Duality

Abstract:We present a formulation wave-particle complementarity and the de Broglie relation $\lambda=h/p$ within the framework of categorical quantum mechanics on rigged Hilbert spaces. Position and momentum are represented by continuous dagger-Frobenius structures associated with the locally compact abelian group $\mathbb{R}$ and its Pontryagin dual. The Fourier transform is the unitary implementation of Pontryagin duality and relates the two observable structures. We show that a general character pairing $\chi_p^{(\alpha)}(x)=\exp(ipx/\alpha)$ yields a one-parameter family of unitarily equivalent Fourier transforms. Pontryagin duality therefore determines the structural form of the complementarity, but not the numerical value of Planck's constant. The identification $\alpha=\hbar$ is a physical input fixed by the Weyl commutation relations. With this input, the spatial period of the character yields $\lambda=h/p$.

arXiv:2608.23935 [quant-ph]

(or arXiv:2608.23935v1 [quant-ph] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2608.23935 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

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