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Quantum mechanics over real numbers fully reproduces standard quantum theory

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abstract

Standard quantum mechanics employs complex Hilbert spaces, but whether complex numbers are fundamental or merely convenient has long been debated. For decades, real-valued equivalents were considered mathematically possible but cumbersome. However, a highly cited 2021 result claimed that any quantum theory based on real numbers is experimentally falsifiable via network Bell experiments. Yet, it remains an open question whether this falsification applies to all real-valued theories. Here we show that this conclusion rests on an incomplete real formulation, and we present a rigorous real-valued framework that perfectly reproduces all predictions of standard quantum mechanics. We demonstrate that the standard real tensor product ($\otimes_{\mathbb{R}}$) used in previous no-go theorems is algebraically incompatible with the rich structure of conventional quantum mechanics. We present a real framework based on K\"{a}hler space and prove that it is exactly isomorphic to established quantum mechanics via an explicit bijection $\gamma$. The isomorphism extends to composite systems through a symplectic composition rule $\otimes^{\ks}$ that replaces the Kronecker product. Consequently, our formulation achieves the maximal $\mathrm{CHSH}_{3}$ violation of $6\sqrt{2}$ using purely real variables, demonstrating that the no-go theorem is specific to a particular real representation of states and operators and to the composition rule $\otimes_\mathbb{R}$ built upon it, neither of which extends to the present K\"{a}hler framework. These results demonstrate that complex numbers are not fundamentally required by nature; rather, they encode a deeper real geometric structure that governs quantum interference and entanglement, settling this long debate.

fields

quant-ph 1

years

2026 1

verdicts

ACCEPT 1

representative citing papers

Hidden Complex Structure in Quotient-Space Real Quantum Mechanics

quant-ph · 2026-07-07 · accept · novelty 6.0

The quotient-space real formulation of quantum mechanics is shown to be standard complex QM in real notation, not an independent real-amplitude theory, because it requires a hidden complex structure J, a superselection rule, and a balanced tensor product isomorphic to the complex tensor product.

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  • Hidden Complex Structure in Quotient-Space Real Quantum Mechanics quant-ph · 2026-07-07 · accept · none · ref 45 · internal anchor

    The quotient-space real formulation of quantum mechanics is shown to be standard complex QM in real notation, not an independent real-amplitude theory, because it requires a hidden complex structure J, a superselection rule, and a balanced tensor product isomorphic to the complex tensor product.