Zur Quantenmechanik der Stossvorgange (Quantum Mechanics of Collision) in Zeitschrift fur Physik 37 pp. 863-867, 1926). Quantenmechanik der Stossvorgange in Zeitschrift fur Physik 38 pp. 803-827, 1926. Das Adiabatenprinzip in der Quantenmechanik (The Adiabatic Principle in Quantum Mechanics) in Zeitschrift fur Physik 40 pp. 167-192, 1926)

FIRST EDITIONS OF ALL THREE PAPERS DEVELOPING MAX BORN'S REVOLUTIONARY STATISTICAL INTERPRETATION OF QUANTUM MECHANICS, also known as the probability interpretation of the wave function, or the probabilistic interpretation of the Schrodinger wave function. Born argues - an argument that would lead directly to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle -- that quantum mechanics "could be understood as a probability without any causal explanation" (Wikipedia), prompting Einstein to reply in a letter to Born that "He [God] does not throw dice".

Born came to his decisive breakthrough in understanding wave function when, "in a paper on the scattering of electrons from atoms, [he] observed that the most obvious interpretation of the wave function is that it represents the probability of finding the electron at a given location. More precisely, he added almost off-handedly in a footnote, its square represents probability, and this observation is now called the Born Rule" (Peacock, The Quantum Revolution, 58).

In his "precise and very detailed" second paper, "Quantenmechanik der Stossvorgange," Born"states that matrix mechanics started out from the assumption that it is impossible in principle to exactly describe a process in space and time... In wave mechanics Schrödinger had tried to construct ‘wave groups' [now called wave packets], which have small dimensions in all directions and obviously are supposed to represent the moving particle'. Instead, he proposes to try a third interpretation and to test its usefulness on scattering processes" (Brandt, The Harvest of the Century, 170). Born summarizes his interpretation with "The motion of a particle follows probability laws but the probability propagates according to the laws of causality."

The third paper, "Das Adiabatenprinzip in der Quantenmechanik," is Born's further development on the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics; here introducing the concept of quantum tunneling.

Born won the Nobel prize in 1954 for "his fundamental research in quantum mechanics, especially for the statistical interpretation of the wave function" (Nobel Committee).

ALSO INCLUDED: In Volume 37, O. Klein, "Quantentheorie und fünfdimensionale Relativitätstheorie" ZfP 37 (1926) pp. 895 [Kline's part of Klein-Gordon equation] + Bothe, Walther (1926). "Über die Kopplung zwischen elementaren Strahlungsvorgängen." ZfP 37, 547-567. ("On the coupling between elementary radiation processes"). In Volume 40, "Zur Deutung der Molekülspektren " by Friedrich Hund (ZfP 40 pp. 742-764, 1927) introduces the concept of quantum tunneling. "Über nicht kombinierende Terme in der neueren Quantentheorie" by Eugene Wigner (ZfP 40 pp. 492-500 and 883-892, 1926) introduced Hamiltonian invariance and its implications for quantum transitions. and "Der Comptoneffekt nach der Schrödingerschen Theorie" by Walter Gordon (ZfP 40 pp. 117, 1926) presents Gordon's part of Klein-Gordon equation. CONDITION & DETAILS: 4to. (9.25 x 6.25 inches; 231 x 156mm). Three volumes uniformly bound in a bluish, dark grey buckram; gilt-lettered at the spine; tightly and very solidly bound. Bears no library markings whatsoever; NOT ex-libris. Minor age toning throughout each. Volume 37: [vii], 929pp. Volume 38: [vii], 950pp. Volume 40: [viii], 911pp. Very good condition.