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Currently I was going through the formula

$$(\Delta x)(\Delta p)\geq\frac{h}{4\pi}$$

which is of course the enclosed form of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. But I also get this formula

$$(\Delta x)(\Delta \lambda)\geq\frac{\lambda^2}{4\pi}.$$

I suppose this is an extension of Heisenberg's principle but I didn't get such note in the book. Further I think it maybe came from de Broglie's hypothesis and may be some calculus but it's just a guess. So for these reasons I am wishing an answer from you and moreover it will be finer to have some physical interpretation of this formula like as we have for Heisenberg's principle.

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    $\begingroup$ I hesitate to answer the question because of the second part. But here is how I am thinking. The De Broglie hypothesis asserts: $$p = \hbar k \text{ with } k = \frac{2 \pi}{\lambda}$$ Thus, $$\Delta p = \hbar \Delta k \text{ and } \Delta k= \frac{2 \pi}{\lambda^2} \Delta \lambda$$ So, finally we have: $$\Delta x \cdot \Delta p \geq \frac{\hbar}{2} \Longrightarrow \Delta x \Delta k \geq \frac{1}{2} \Longrightarrow \Delta x \cdot \Delta \lambda \geq \frac{\lambda^2}{4 \pi}$$ $\endgroup$
    – Andrew
    Commented Oct 6, 2020 at 21:03
  • $\begingroup$ @AndreasMastronikolis Shouldn't $\Delta k = - \frac{2\pi}{\lambda^2} \Delta\lambda$ ? Did you forget the minus sign? $\endgroup$
    – asmaier
    Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 22:26
  • $\begingroup$ @asmaier If that were the case, you would allow negative values on standard deviations for $k$, since $\lambda > 0$ and $\Delta \lambda > 0$. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propagation_of_uncertainty#Simplification for the general rule. $\endgroup$
    – Andrew
    Commented Apr 15, 2023 at 10:30

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Starting from the general uncertainty principle for two arbitrary operators $\Omega$ and $\Phi$ $$(\Delta\Omega)^2(\Delta\Phi)^2\geq\frac{1}{4}\left|\langle \psi | [\Omega,\Phi] | \psi\rangle\right|^2$$ where $|\psi\rangle$ is an arbitrary state and $[\Omega,\Phi]=\Omega\Phi-\Phi\Omega$, the commutator. We know from De Broglie that $\lambda=\frac{h}{p}$; from this, we calculate the Possion bracket of $x$ and $\lambda$ as $$\begin{align}\{\lambda,x\}&=\frac{\partial \lambda}{\partial x}\frac{\partial x}{\partial p}-\frac{\partial x}{\partial x}\frac{\partial\lambda}{\partial p}\\ &=\frac{h}{p^2}\\ &=\frac{\lambda^2}{h}\end{align}$$ Now, Dirac's popular rule for quantization (works in many cases) is to say that $$\{\omega,\phi\}=\frac{2\pi}{i h}[\Omega,\Phi]$$ so we have $$[\Lambda, X]=i\frac{\Lambda^2}{2\pi}$$. Plugging this into the original general uncertainty principle, $$(\Delta\Lambda)^2(\Delta X)^2\geq\frac{\langle \Lambda^2 \rangle^2}{16\pi^2}$$ and thus $$(\Delta\Lambda)(\Delta X)\geq\frac{\langle \Lambda^2 \rangle}{4\pi}$$ Now, from the definition of standard deviation, we know that $(\Delta X )^2+\langle X\rangle^2=\langle X^2\rangle$, so we have $$\begin{align} (\Delta\Lambda)(\Delta X)&\geq\frac{\langle \Lambda^2 \rangle}{4\pi}\\ &\geq\frac{1}{4\pi}((\Delta\Lambda)^2+\langle\Lambda\rangle^2) \\ &\geq\frac{\langle\Lambda\rangle^2}{4\pi} \end{align} $$ because standard deviation is positive definite. Thus, denoting the expectation value of $\Lambda$ as $\lambda$, we finally have $$\bbox[5px,border:2px solid black]{(\Delta\Lambda)(\Delta X)\geq\frac{\lambda^2}{4\pi}}$$ This uncertainty princple is different than the normal position-momentum one; instead of the product of uncertainties always being greater than a constant, the product of the standard deviation of position and wavelength is greater than or equal to the mean value of the wavelength divided by $4\pi$. Thus, it relates the uncertainties in position and wavelength to the mean value of the wavelength.

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  • $\begingroup$ Your answer didn't show the interpretation part. Can anyone explain that stuff ! $\endgroup$
    – David
    Commented Oct 25, 2020 at 14:28

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