Research interests

For an overview, please see the pages of my research group at IQOQI Vienna.
Citation statistics: Google Scholar.


Media coverage

  • Our results on the Berry-Keating conjecture (paper 43) have been greatly exaggerated by some media (e.g. the Wire), which in turn has led to criticism (e.g. here). To clarify: no, our work will almost certainly not lead to significant progress on the Riemann conjecture! But we think it is an interesting insight, and its main observation is fully mathematically rigorous. See also Nature Physics, the Reference Frame, phys.org, Quanta magazine, Spektrum der Wissenschaft.

  • Quantum perspective. New Scientist, February 5, 2022. Describes our result (publication 40) on deriving the Lorentz transformations from properties of quantum communication, and how they have inspired recent work by Flavio Mercati and Giovanni Amelino-Camelia.

  • Why space has exactly three dimensions. New Scientist, September 25, 2013. Discusses some approaches towards this question, including our publication 32 below.
  • Quantum causality: information insights. Nature Physics 8, 860 (2012). Article by Terry Rudolph on recent work by the quantum foundations community, including our work on the structure of space and quantum theory (publications 29 and 32).

 

Preprints on arXiv

  1. C. L. Jones, S. L. Ludescher, A. Aloy, and M. P. Müller, Theory-independent randomness generation with spacetime symmetries, arXiv:2210.14811
  2. M. P. Müller and A. J. P. Garner, Testing quantum theory with generalized noncontextuality, arXiv:2112.09719
  3. A. de la Hamette, T. D. Galley, P. A. Höhn, L. Loveridge, and M. P. Müller, Perspective-neutral approach to quantum frame covariance for general symmetry groups, arXiv:2110.13824
  4. M. Krumm and M. P. Müller, Computational irreducibility and compatibilism: towards a formalization, arXiv:2101.12033
  5. P. A. Höhn, M. P. Müller, C. Pfeifer, and D. Rätzel, A local quantum Mach principle and the metricity of spacetime, arXiv:1811.02555

 

Peer-reviewed publications

  1. A. de la Hamette, S. L. Ludescher, and M. P. Müller, Entanglement-asymmetry correspondence for internal quantum reference frames, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 260404 (2022), arXiv:2112.00046
  2. P. A. Höhn, M. Krumm, and M. P. Müller, Internal quantum reference frames for finite Abelian groups, J. Math. Phys. 63, 112207 (2022), arXiv:2107.07545
  3. R. D. Baldijão, M. Krumm, A. J. P. Garner, and M. P. Müller, Quantum Darwinism and the spreading of classical information in non-classical theories, Quantum 6, 636 (2022), arXiv:2012.06559
  4. M. Krumm, P. A. Höhn, and M. P. Müller, Quantum reference frame transformations as symmetries and the paradox of the third particle, Quantum 5, 530 (2021), arXiv:2011.01951
  5. G. Chiribella, A. Cabello, M. Kleinmann, and M. P. Müller, General Bayesian theories and the emergence of the exclusivity principle, Phys. Rev. Research 2, 042001(R) (2020), arXiv:1901.11412
  6. M. P. Müller, Law without law: from observer states to physics via algorithmic information theory, Quantum 4, 301 (2020), arXiv:1712.01826
  7. A. J. P. Garner, M. Krumm, and M. P. Müller, Semi-device-independent information processing with spatiotemporal degrees of freedom, Phys. Rev. Research 2, 013112 (2020), arXiv:1907.09274
  8. M. Lostaglio and M. P. Müller, Coherence and asymmetry cannot be broadcast, Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 020403 (2019), arXiv:1812.08214
  9. Ll. Masanes, T. D. Galley, and M. P. Müller, The measurement postulates of quantum mechanics are operationally redundant, Nat. Comm. 10, 1361 (2019), arXiv:1811.11060
  10. P. Boes, J. Eisert, R. Gallego, M. P. Müller, and H. Wilming, Von Neumann entropy from unitarity, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 210402 (2019), arXiv:1807.08773
  11. M. Krumm and M. P. Müller, Quantum computation is the unique reversible circuit model for which bits are balls, npj Quantum Inf. 5, 7 (2019), arXiv:1804.05736
  12. J. Riddell and M. P. Müller, Generalized eigenstate typicality in translation-invariant quasifree fermionic models, Phys. Rev. B 97, 035129 (2018), arXiv:1709.05569
  13. M. P. Müller, Correlating thermal machines and the second law at the nanoscale, Phys. Rev. X 8, 041051 (2018), arXiv:1707.03451
  14. J. Scharlau and M. P. Müller, Quantum Horn's lemma, finite heat baths, and the third law of thermodynamics, Quantum 2, 54 (2018), arXiv:1605.06092
  15. M. P. Müller, S. Carrozza, and P. A. Höhn, Is the local linearity of space-time inherited from the linearity of probabilities?, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50, 054003 (2017), arXiv:1608.08684
  16. M. Krumm, H. Barnum, J. Barrett, and M. P. Müller, Thermodynamics and the structure of quantum theory, New J. Phys. 19, 043025 (2017), arXiv:1608.04461
  17. C. M. Bender, D. C. Brody, and M. P. Müller, Hamiltonian for the zeros of the Riemann zeta function, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 130201 (2017), arXiv:1608.03679. PRL: Editor's Suggestion.
  18. A. J. P. Garner, M. P. Müller, and O. C. O. Dahlsten, The complex and quaternionic quantum bit from relativity of simultaneity on an interferometer, Proc. R. Soc. A 473, 20170596 (2017), arXiv:1412.7112
  19. M. P. Müller and M. Pastena, A generalization of majorization that characterizes Shannon entropy, IEEE Trans. Inf. Th. 62(4), 1711-1720 (2016), arXiv:1507.06900
  20. P. A. Höhn and M. P. Müller, An operational approach to spacetime symmetries: Lorentz transformations from quantum communication, New J. Phys. 18, 063026 (2016),  arXiv:1412.8462. In NJP's "Highlights of 2016" collection.
  21. M. Lostaglio, M. P. Müller, and M. Pastena, Stochastic independence as a resource in small-scale thermodynamics, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 150402 (2015), arXiv:1409.3258. PRL: Editor's Suggestion.
  22. M. P. Müller, E. Adlam, Ll. Masanes, and N. Wiebe, Thermalization and canonical typicality in translation-invariant quantum lattice systems, Commun. Math. Phys. 340(2), 499-561 (2015), arXiv:1312.7420
  23. G. Gour, M. P. Müller, V. Narasimhachar, R. W. Spekkens, and N. Yunger Halpern, The resource theory of informational nonequilibrium in thermodynamics, Phys. Rep. 583, 1-58 (2015), arXiv:1309.6586
  24. H. Barnum, J. Barrett, M. Krumm, and M. P. Müller, Entropy, majorization and thermodynamics in general probabilistic theories, Electronic Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science 195, 43-58 (2015), arXiv:1508.03107
  25. H. Barnum, M. P. Müller, and C. Ududec, Higher-order interference and single-system postulates characterizing quantum theory, New J. Phys. 16, 123029 (2014), arXiv:1403.4147
  26. Ll. Masanes, M. P. Müller, D. Pérez-García, and R. Augusiak, Entanglement and the three-dimensionality of the Bloch ball, J. Math. Phys. 55, 122203 (2014), arXiv:1111.4060
  27. Ll. Masanes, M. P. Müller, R. Augusiak, and D. Pérez-García, Existence of an information unit as a postulate of quantum theory, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110(41), 16373 (2013), arXiv:1208.0493
  28. M. P. Müller and Ll. Masanes, Three-dimensionality of space and the quantum bit: an information-theoretic approach, New J. Phys. 15, 053040 (2013), arXiv:1206.0630.
    In NJP's "Highlights of 2013" collection.
  29. M. P. Müller, J. Oppenheim, and O. C. O. Dahlsten, The black hole information problem beyond quantum theory, J. High Energy Phys. 09, 116 (2012), arXiv:1206.5030
  30. J. Eisert, M. P. Müller, and C. Gogolin, Quantum measurement occurrence is undecidable, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 260501 (2012), arXiv:1111.3965
  31. G. de la Torre, Ll. Masanes, A. J. Short, and M. P. Müller, Deriving quantum theory from its local structure and reversibility, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 090403 (2012), arXiv:1110.5482
  32. M. P. Müller and C. Ududec, Structure of reversible computation determines the self-duality of quantum theory, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 130401 (2012), arXiv:1110.3516
  33. M. P. Müller, O. C. O. Dahlsten, and V. Vedral, Unifying typical entanglement and coin tossing: on randomization in probabilistic theories, Commun. Math. Phys. 316(2), 441-487 (2012), arXiv:1107.6029
  34. C. Gogolin, M. P. Müller, and J. Eisert, Absence of thermalization in non-integrable systems, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 040401 (2011), arXiv:1009.2493
  35. Ll. Masanes and M. P. Müller, A derivation of quantum theory from physical requirements, New J. Phys. 13, 063001 (2011), arXiv:1004.1483
  36. M. P. Müller, D. Gross, and J. Eisert, Concentration of measure for quantum states with a fixed expectation value, Commun. Math. Phys. 303(3), 785-824 (2011), arXiv:1003.4982
  37. M. Müller and D. Schleicher, How to add a noninteger number of terms: from axioms to new identities, Am. Math. Mon. 118(2), 136-152 (2011), arXiv:1001.4695
  38. N. Ay, M. Müller, and A. Szkola, Effective complexity of stationary process realizations, Entropy 13 (6), 1200-1211 (2011), arXiv:1001.2686
  39. D. Gross, M. Müller, R. Colbeck, and O. C. O. Dahlsten, All reversible dynamics in maximally non-local theories are trivial, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 080402 (2010), arXiv:0910.1840
  40. N. Ay, M. Müller, and A. Szkola, Effective complexity and its relation to logical depth, IEEE Trans. Inf. Th. 56(9), 4593-4607 (2010), arXiv:0810.5663
  41. M. Müller, Stationary algorithmic probability, Theor. Comput. Sci. 411, 113-130 (2010), arXiv:cs.IT/0608095
  42. M. Müller and D. Schleicher, Fractional sums and Euler-like identities, Ramanujan J. 21(2), 123-143 (2010), arXiv:math/0502109
  43. M. Müller, Convex trace functions on quantum channels and the additivity conjecture, Phys. Rev. A 79, 052332 (2009), arXiv:0809.4060
  44. M. Müller, C. Rogers, and R. Nagarajan, Lossless quantum prefix compression for communication channels that are always open, Phys. Rev. A 79, 012302 (2009), arXiv:0808.2003
  45. M. Müller, Does probability become fuzzy in small regions of spacetime?, Phys. Lett. B 673, 166-167 (2009), arXiv:0712.4090
  46. M. Müller, On the quantum Kolmogorov complexity of classical strings, Int. J. Quant. Inf. 7 (4), 701-711 (2009), arXiv:0707.2924
  47. M. Müller, Strongly universal quantum Turing machines and invariance of Kolmogorov complexity, IEEE Trans. Inf. Th. 54(2), 763--780 (2008), arXiv:quant-ph/0605030
  48. F. Benatti, T. Krüger, M. Müller, Ra. Siegmund-Schultze, and A. Szkola, Entropy and quantum Kolmogorov complexity: a quantum Brudno's theorem, Commun. Math. Phys. 265(2), 437-461 (2006), arXiv:quant-ph/0506080
  49. M. Müller and D. Schleicher, How to add a non-integer number of terms, and how to produce unusual infinite summations, J. Comp. Appl. Math. 178 (1-2), 347-360 (2005), download

 

All further publications

  1. T. D. Galley, Ll. Masanes, and M. P. Müller, Reply to "Masanes-Galley-Müller and the State-Update Postulate", arXiv:2212.03629
  2. M. P. Müller, Undecidability and unpredictability: not limitations, but triumphs of science, in A. Aguirre, Z. Merali, and D. Sloan (eds.), "Undecidability, Uncomputability, and Unpredictability", Springer Nature, 2021, arXiv:2008.09821. First prize at the 2021 FQXi essay contest.
  3. M. P. Müller, Probabilistic Theories and Reconstructions of Quantum Theory (Les Houches 2019 lecture notes), SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 28 (2021), arXiv:2011.01286
  4. A. J. P. Garner and M. P. Müller, Characterization of the probabilistic models that can be embedded in quantum theory, arXiv:2004.06136. Contains a condensed version of Theorem 2 of (and is superseded by) arXiv:2112.09719.
  5. M. P. Müller, Mind before matter: reversing the arrow of fundamentality, in A. Aguirre, B. Foster, and Z. Merali (eds.), What is Fundamental?, Springer Verlag, 2019, arXiv:1812.08594
  6. A. Koberinski and M. P. Müller, Quantum theory as a principle theory: insights from an information-theoretic reconstruction, in M. E. Cuffaro and S. C. Fletcher (eds.), Physical Perspectives on Computation, Computational Perspectives on Physics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2018, arXiv:1707.05602
  7. C. M. Bender, D. C. Brody, and M. P. Müller, Comment on 'Comment on "Hamiltonian for the zeros of the Riemann zeta function' ", arXiv:1705.06767
  8. M. P. Müller, A note on "Hamiltonian for the zeros of the Riemann zeta function", arXiv:1704.04705
  9. M. P. Müller, J. Oppenheim, and O. C. O. Dahlsten, Hiding information in theories beyond quantum mechanics, and its application to the black hole information problem, Horizons of Quantum Physics Conference Proceedings, Foundations of Physics, Springer, 2014.
  10. M. P. Müller and Ll. Masanes, Information-theoretic postulates for quantum theory, in "Quantum Theory: Informational Foundations and Foils", G. Chiribella and R. W. Spekkens (editors), Springer, 2016, arXiv:1203.4516
  11. M. Müller and C. Rogers, Quantum bit strings and prefix-free Hilbert spaces, ITSL '08 conference proceedings, arXiv:0804.0022

 

Theses

  • PhD thesis: Quantum Kolmogorov complexity and the quantum Turing machine (2007), arXiv:0712.4377. Supervised by Prof. Ruedi Seiler, Institut für Mathematik, Technische Universität Berlin. Grade: with distinction (summa cum laude).
  • Diploma thesis: Das Quanten-Shannon-Mc-Millan-Breiman-Theorem am Beispiel der Heisenbergschen Spinkette (2004). Grade: very good.

 

Science writing by myself (about work by others)

 

Early research before university

  • Experimental disproof of an alleged antigravity experiment ("Schnurer's experiment"), with Josip Milanovic and Franz-Josef Schmitt (1999).
    At that time, a popular German TV broadcast claimed that a superconductor could yield an antigravity effect in a simple experiment. Thus, we went to the lab at University Erlangen and reproduced the experiment. We found that Schnurer seems to have misinterpreted a simple buoyancy effect.
  • "Fractional sums": how to add a non-integer number of terms (around 1998).
    This idea led to several publications with Dierk Schleicher (for example this one), and made the first prize at the German youth science fair "Jugend forscht" 1998 in mathematics and computer science, together with an exceptional prize by the Federal President.
  • Higher-order arithmetic operations, and non-integer iteration of functions (1994-1995).
    The main idea is written up in a little document here. It made the second prize at "Jugend forscht", and an exceptional prize by the Federal Chancellor.