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Decoherence and Continuous Measurements: Phenomenology and Models

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Decoherence: Theoretical, Experimental, and Conceptual Problems

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 538))

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Abstract

Decoherence of a quantum system induced by the interaction with its environment (measuring medium) may be presented phenomenologically as a continuous (or repeated) fuzzy quantum measurement. The dynamics of the system subject to continuous decoherence (measurement) may be described by the complex-Hamiltonian Schrodinger equation, stochastic Schrödinger equation of a certain type or (nonselectively) by the Lindblad master equation. The formulation of this dynamics with the help of restricted path integrals shows that the dynamics of the measured system depends only on the information recorded in the environment. With the help of the complex-Hamiltonian Schrodinger equation, monitoring a quantum transition is shown to be possible, at the price of decreasing the transition probability (weak Zeno effect). The monitoring of the level transition may be realized by a long series of short weak observations of the system which results in controllable slow decoherence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. P.N.Lebedev Physical Institute, 117924, Moscow, Russia

    Michael B. Mensky

  2. Fakultät für Physik der Universität Konstanz, Postfach 5560 M 674, D-78434, Konstanz, Germany

    Michael B. Mensky

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  1. Michael B. Mensky
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät für Physik, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany

    Philippe Blanchard

  2. Rosenweg 2, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany

    Erich Joos

  3. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Zürich, Winterthurer Strasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland

    Domenico Giulini

  4. Fakultät für Physik, Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Clau Kiefer

  5. FESt, Schmeilweg 5, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany

    Ion-Olimpiu Stamatescu

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Mensky, M.B. (2000). Decoherence and Continuous Measurements: Phenomenology and Models. In: Blanchard, P., Joos, E., Giulini, D., Kiefer, C., Stamatescu, IO. (eds) Decoherence: Theoretical, Experimental, and Conceptual Problems. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 538. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46657-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46657-6_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-66899-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46657-4

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