The Status of Determinism in Proofs of the Impossibility of a Noncontextual Model of Quantum Theory

In order to claim that one has experimentally tested whether a noncontextual ontological model could underlie certain measurement statistics in quantum theory, it is necessary to have a notion of noncontextuality that applies to unsharp measurements, i.e., those that can only be represented by positive operator-valued measures rather than projection-valued measures. This is because any realistic measurement necessarily has some nonvanishing amount of noise and therefore never achieves the ideal of sharpness. Assuming a generalized notion of noncontextuality that applies to arbitrary experimental procedures, it is shown that the outcome of a measurement depends deterministically on the ontic state of the system being measured if and only if the measurement is sharp. Hence for every unsharp measurement, its outcome necessarily has an indeterministic dependence on the ontic state. We defend this proposal against alternatives. In particular, we demonstrate why considerations parallel to Fine’s theorem do not challenge this conclusion.     

Double detected spin-dependent quantum dot

We study the dynamics of a spin-dependent quantum dot system, where an unsharp and a sharp detection scenario is introduced. The back-action of the unsharp detection related to the magnetization, proposed in terms of the continuous quantum measurement theory, is observed via the von Neumann measurement (sharp detection) of the electric charge current. The behavior of the average electron charge current is studied as a function of the unsharp detection strength γ$\gamma$, and features of measurement back-action are discussed. The achieved equations reproduce the quantum Zeno effect. Considering magnetic leads, we demonstrate that the measurement process may freeze the system in its initial state. We show that the continuous observation may enhance the transition between spin states, in contradiction with rapidly repeated projective observations, when it slows down. Experimental issue, such as the accuracy of the electric current measurement, is analyzed.     

Quantum continual measurements and a posteriori collapse on CCR

A quantum stochastic model for the Markovian dynamics of an open system under the nondemolition unsharp observation which is continuous in time, is given. A stochastic equation for the posterior evolution of a quantum continuously observed system is derived and the spontaneous collapse (stochastically continuous reduction of the wave packet) is described. The quantum Langevin evolution equation is solved for the case of a quasi-free Hamiltonian in the initial CCR algebra with a linear output channel, and the posterior dynamics corresponding to an initial Gaussian state is found. It is shown for an example of the posterior dynamics of a quantum oscillator that any mixed state under a complete nondemolition measurement collapses exponentially to a pure Gaussian one.     

Quantum theory of continuous measurements and its applications in quantum optics

We present an overview of the quantum theory of continuous measurements and discuss some of its important applications in quantum optics. Quantum theory of continuous measurements is the appropriate generalization of the conventional formulation of quantum theory, which is adequate to deal with counting experiments where a detector monitors a system continuously over an interval of time and records the times of occurrence of a given type of event, such as the emission or arrival of a particle. We first discuss the classical theory of counting processes and indicate how one arrives at the celebrated photon counting formula of Mandel for classical optical fields. We then discuss the inadequacies of the so called quantum Mandel formula. We explain how the unphysical results that arise from the quantum Mandel formula are due to the fact that the formula is obtained on the basis of an erroneous identification of the coincidence probability densities associated with a continuous measurement situation. We then summarize the basic framework of the quantum theory of continuous measurements as developed by Davies. We explain how a complete characterization of the counting process can be achieved by specifying merely the measurement transformation associated with the change in the state of the system when a single event is observed in an infinitesimal interval of time. In order to illustrate the applications of the quantum theory of continuoius measurements in quantum optics, we first derive the photon counting probabilities of a single-mode free field and also of a single-mode field in interaction with an external source. We then discuss the general quantum counting formula of Chmara for a multi-mode electromagnetic field coupled to an external source. We explain how the Chmara counting formula is indeed the appropriate quantum generalization of the classical Mandel formula. To illustrate the fact that the quantum theory of continuous measurements has other diverse applications in quantum optics, besides the theory of photodetection, we summarize the theory of ‘quantum jumps’ developed by Zoller, Marte and Walls and Barchielli, where the continuous measurements framework is employed to evaluate the statistics of photon emission events in the resonance fluorescence of an atomic system.     

The Nondemolition Measurement of Quantum Time

The problem of time operator in quantummechanics is revisited. The unsharp measurement modelfor quantum time based on the dynamical system-clockinteraction is studied. Our analysis shows that theproblem of the quantum time operator with continuousspectrum cannot be separated from the measurementproblem for quantum time.     

Unsharp Quantum Reality

The positive operator (valued) measures (POMs) allow one to generalize the notion of observable beyond the traditional one based on projection valued measures (PVMs). Here, we argue that this generalized conception of observable enables a consistent notion of unsharp reality and with it an adequate concept of joint properties. A sharp or unsharp property manifests itself as an element of sharp or unsharp reality by its tendency to become actual or to actualize a specific measurement outcome. This actualization tendency—or potentiality—of a property is quantified by the associated quantum probability. The resulting single-case interpretation of probability as a degree of reality will be explained in detail and its role in addressing the tensions between quantum and classical accounts of the physical world will be elucidated. It will be shown that potentiality can be viewed as a causal agency that evolves in a well-defined way.     

Can ‘Unsharp Objectification’ Solve the Quantum Measurement Problem?

The quantum measurement problem is formulated inthe form of an insolubility theorem that states theimpossibility of obtaining, for all available objectpreparations, a mixture of states of the compound object and apparatus system that wouldrepresent definite pointer positions. A proof is giventhat comprises arbitrary object observables, whethersharp or unsharp, and besides sharp pointer observables a certain class of unsharp pointers, namely,those allowing for the property of pointer valuedefiniteness. A recent result of H. Stein is applied toallow for the possibility that a given measurement may not be applicable to all possible objectstates, but only to a subset of them. The question israised whether the statement of the insolubility theoremremains true for genuinely unsharp observables. This gives rise to a precise notion of unsharpobjectification.     

No-Cloning Theorem,Kochen-Specker Theorem,and Quantum Measurement Theories

The usual no-cloning theorem implies that two quantum states are identical or orthogonal if we allow a cloning to be on the two quantum states. Here, we investigate a relation between the no-cloning theorem and the projective measurement theory that the results of measurements are either + 1 or − 1. We introduce the Kochen-Specker (KS) theorem with the projective measurement theory. We result in the fact that the two quantum states under consideration cannot be orthogonal if we avoid the KS contradiction. Thus the no-cloning theorem implies that the two quantum states under consideration are identical in that case. It turns out that the KS theorem with the projective measurement theory says a new version of the no-cloning theorem. Next, we investigate a relation between the no-cloning theorem and the measurement theory based on the truth values that the results of measurements are either + 1 or 0. We return to the usual no-cloning theorem that the two quantum states are identical or orthogonal in the case.

     

Quantum measurement II

Some of the basic results of the quantum theory of measurement are reviewed and an application of the theory of sequential measurements to a determination of a geometric phase in a measurement cycle is discussed.     

Quantum Zeno effect by general measurements

It was predicted that frequently repeated measurements on an unstable quantum state may alter the decay rate of the state. This is called the quantum Zeno effect (QZE) or the anti-Zeno effect (AZE), depending on whether the decay is suppressed or enhanced. In conventional theories of the QZE and AZE, effects of measurements are simply described by the projection postulate, assuming that each measurement is an instantaneous and ideal one. However, real measurements are not instantaneous and ideal. For the QZE and AZE by such general measurements, interesting and surprising features have recently been revealed, which we review in this article. The results are based on the quantum measurement theory, which is also reviewed briefly. As a typical model, we consider a continuous measurement of the decay of an excited atom by a photodetector that detects a photon emitted from the atom upon decay. This measurement is an indirect negative-result one, for which the curiosity of the QZE and AZE is emphasized. It is shown that the form factor is renormalized as a backaction of the measurement, through which the decay dynamics is modified. In a special case of the flat response, where the detector responds to every photon mode with an identical response time, results of the conventional theories are reproduced qualitatively. However, drastic differences emerge in general cases where the detector responds only to limited photon modes. For example, against predictions of the conventional theories, the QZE or AZE may take place even for states that exactly follow the exponential decay law. We also discuss relation to the cavity quantum electrodynamics.     

Quantum filtering one bit at a time

In this Letter we consider the purification of a quantum state using the information obtained from a continuous measurement record, where the classical measurement record is digitized to a single bit per measurement after the measurements have been made. Analysis indicates that efficient and reliable state purification is achievable for one- and two-qubit systems. We also consider quantum feedback control based on the discrete one-bit measurement sequences.     

Quantum dynamics, measurement and entropy

The aim of this paper is to present a line of ideas, centred around entropy production andquantum dynamics, emerging from von Neumann's work on foundations of quantum mechanics and leading to current research. The concepts of measurement, dynamical evolution and entropy were central in J. von Neumann's work. Further developments led to the introduction of generalized measurements in terms of positive operator-valued measures, closely connected to the theory of open systems. Fundamental properties of quantum entropy were derived and Kolmogorov and Sinai related the chaotic properties of classical dynamical systems with asymptotic entropy production. Finally, entropy production in quantum dynamical systems was linked with repeated measurement processes and a whole research area on nonequilibrium phenomena in quantum dynamical systems seems to emerge.     

The joint measurement problem

According to orthodox quantum theory, the joint measurement of noncommuting observables is impossible. It has been claimed recently that such joint measurements are admitted in a generalized formalism for quantum theory developed by Ludwig and Davies, by means of so-called unsharp observables. It is argued in this paper that this claim has not been substantiated.     

Quantum theory of incompatible observations

Quantum theory allows the sequential measurement of incompatible observables in the course of repeated measurements. To get information about the observed system, all observations must be synthesized. This is the main idea of quantum tomographical methods. As shown in this paper, the maximum likelihood principle provides the best measure for relating the experimental data with predictions of quantum theory. Synthesis of incompatible observations appears to be a new quantum measurement described by a positive operator-valued measure. Besides this, the procedure finds the optimal state of the system, which best fits such a measurement.     

Classical Versus Quantum Probability in Sequential Measurements

We demonstrate in this paper that the probabilities for sequential measurements have features very different from those of single-time measurements. First, they cannot be modelled by a classical stochastic process. Second, they are contextual, namely they depend strongly on the specific measurement scheme through which they are determined. We construct Positive-Operator-Valued measures (POVM) that provide such probabilities. For observables with continuous spectrum, the constructed POVMs depend strongly on the resolution of the measurement device, a conclusion that persists even if we consider a quantum mechanical measurement device or the presence of an environment. We then examine the same issues in alternative interpretations of quantum theory. We first show that multi-time probabilities cannot be naturally defined in terms of a frequency operator. We next prove that local hidden variable theories cannot reproduce the predictions of quantum theory for sequential measurements, even when the degrees of freedom of the measuring apparatus are taken into account. Bohmian mechanics, however, does not fall in this category. We finally examine an alternative proposal that sequential measurements can be modeled by a process that does not satisfy the Kolmogorov axioms of probability. This removes contextuality without introducing non-locality, but implies that the empirical probabilities cannot be always defined (the event frequencies do not converge). We argue that the predictions of this hypothesis are not ruled out by existing experimental results (examining in particular the “which way” experiments); they are, however, distinguishable in principle.     

Quantum Lattice-Gas Model for the Burgers Equation

A quantum algorithm is presented for modeling the time evolution of a continuous field governed by the nonlinear Burgers equation in one spatial dimension. It is a microscopic-scale algorithm for a type-II quantum computer, a large lattice of small quantum computers interconnected in nearest neighbor fashion by classical communication channels. A formula for quantum state preparation is presented. The unitary evolution is governed by a conservative quantum gate applied to each node of the lattice independently. Following each quantum gate operation, ensemble measurements over independent microscopic realizations are made resulting in a finite-difference Boltzmann equation at the mesoscopic scale. The measured values are then used to re-prepare the quantum state and one time step is completed. The procedure of state preparation, quantum gate application, and ensemble measurement is continued ad infinitum. The Burgers equation is derived as an effective field theory governing the behavior of the quantum computer at its macroscopic scale where both the lattice cell size and the time step interval become infinitesimal. A numerical simulation of shock formation is carried out and agrees with the exact analytical solution.     

Stochastically and Intrinsically Extended Non-relativistic Quantum Particles

Stochastically and intrinsically extended non relativistic quantum particles are described by combining the ideas of a stochastic quantum theory and a quantum functional theory. The former relates the extension to imperfect real measurements while the latter considers it as intrinsic. Physical states, Positive-Operator-Valued measures connected to measurement, and propagators are given and discussed. The stochastic theory is sufficient when the bilocal field describing the particle has a product form.     

State change, quantum probability, and information in operational phase-space measurement

State change, quantum probability, and information gain in the operational phasespace measurement are formulated by means of positive operator-valued measure (POVM) and operation. The properties of the operational POVM and its marginal POVM which yield the quantum probability distributions of the measurement outcomes obtained by the operational phase-space measurement are investigated. The Naimark extension of the operational POVM can be expressed in terms of the relative-position states and the relative-momentum states in the extended Hilbert space. An observable quantity measured in the operational phase-space measurement becomes a fuzzy or unsharp observable. The state change of a physical system caused by the operational phase-space measurement is described by the operation which is obtained explicitly for the position and momentum measurements and for the simultaneous measurement of position and momentum. Using the results, the entropy change of the measured physical system and the information gain in the operational phase-space measurement are investigated. It is found that the average value of the entropy change is equal to the Shannon mutual information extracted from the outcomes exhibited by the measurement apparatus.     

Quantum state reconstruction via continuous measurement

We present a new procedure for quantum state reconstruction based on weak continuous measurement of an ensemble average. By applying controlled evolution to the initial state, new information is continually mapped onto the measured observable. A Bayesian filter is then used to update the state estimate in accordance with the measurement record. This generalizes the standard paradigm for quantum tomography based on strong, destructive measurements on separate ensembles. This approach to state estimation induces minimal perturbation of the measured system, giving information about observables whose evolution cannot be described classically in real time and opening the door to new types of quantum feedback control.     

Quantum trajectories and the Bohm time constant

This work proposes a new logarithmic nonlinear Schrödinger equation to describe the dynamics of a wave packet under continuous measurement. Via the method of quantum trajectories formalism of the Bohmian model of quantum mechanics, it is shown that this continuous measurement alters the dynamical properties of the measured system. While the width of the wave packet may reach a stationary regime, its quantum trajectories converge asymptotically in time to classical trajectories. So, continuous measurements not only disturb the particle but compel it to eventually converge to a Newtonian regime. The rate of convergence depends on what is defined here as the Bohm time constant which characterizes the resolution time of the measurement. If the initial wave packet width is taken to be equal to 2.8×10⁻¹⁵ m (the approximate size of an electron) then the Bohm time constant is found to be about 6.8×10⁻²⁶ s.