quantonn.
/ˈkwɒntɒn/, U.S. /ˈkwɑnˌtɑn/ Physics.
An entity of the kind described by quantum theory, with properties of both waves and particles. Cf. wavicle n.
ΚΠ
1966 M. Bunge in Jrnl. Philos. 63 777 Elementary quantum mechanics may be interpreted as referring to pairs <quanton, classically describable environment>, where ‘quanton’ is a name for any entity satisfying, say, Schrödinger's equation.
1978 Brit. Jrnl. Philos. Sci. 29 99 This makes it possible to interpret ‘ψ’ as representing a physical state of an individual (be this individual called a quanton or whatever) which obeys the axioms of the theory.
1990 Isis 81 155/1 A. Anastassov and Anguel Stefanov argue against the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and propose a theory of quantons.
2001 Physics Low-dimensional Structures ix–x. 155 The qubits are encoded by the spin orientations of single quantons in exchange-decoupled quantum dots.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, December 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1966