Glafka 2004: The Decoherent Histories Approach to the Quantization of Cosmological Models

The decoherent histories approach is a particularly useful approach to quantum theory especially when time enters in a non-trivial way, or indeed, when there is no physical time coordinate at all, as is the case in quantum cosmology. Here, attempts to apply the decoherent histories approach to quantum cosmology are described.     

Anomalies of weakened decoherence criteria for quantum histories

The theory of decoherent histories is checked for the requirement of statistical independence of subsystems. Strikingly, this is satisfied only when the decoherence functional is diagonal in both its real and imaginary parts. Although the weakened condition of consistency (or weak decoherence), allowing a nondiagonal imaginary part, is sufficient for the assignment of probabilities, it may easily violate the statistical independence of subsystems. Therefore, weakened consistency conditions and various related generalizations of the concept of decoherent histories appear to be ruled out. The same conclusion is obtained independently, by claiming a plausible dynamical robustness of decoherent histories.     

Histories,Bell-like inequalities,and QMSL evolution

It is shown that a particular kind of Bell inequality is associated with a decoherent set of histories in the Gell-Mann-Hartle sense. A special case is studied and the Gell-Mann-Hartle and QMSL schemes are confronted.     

Decoherent Histories and Realism

We reconsider the decoherent histories approach to quantum mechanics and analyze some problems related to its interpretation which we believe have not been adequately clarified by its proponents. We put forward some assumptions which, in our opinion, are necessary for a realistic interpretation of the probabilities that the formalism attaches to decoherent histories. We prove that such assumptions, unless one limits the set of the decoherent families which can be taken into account, lead to a logical contradiction. The line of reasoning we follow is conceptually different from other arguments which have been presented and which have been rejected by the supporters of the decoherent histories approach. The conclusion is that the decoherent histories approach, to be considered as an interesting realistic alternative to the orthodox interpretation of quantum mechanics, requires the identification of a mathematically precise criterion to characterize an appropriate set of decoherent families which does not give rise to any problem.     

Consistent Quantum Realism: A Reply to Bassi and Ghirardi

A recent claim by Bassi and Ghirardi that the consistent (decoherent) histories approach cannot provide a realistic interpretation of quantum theory is shown to be based upon a misunderstanding of the single-framework rule: they have replaced the correct rule with a principle which directly contradicts it. It is their assumptions, not those of the consistent histories approach, which lead to a logical contradiction.     

On the existence of inequivalent quasideterministic domains

In the framework of the history approach to quantum mechanics and, in particular, of the formulation of Gell-Mann and Hartle, the question of the existence of inequivalent decoherent sets of histories is reconsidered. A simple but acceptably realistic model of the dynamics of the universe is proposed and a particular set of histories is shown to be decoherent. By suitable tranformations of this set, a family of sets of histories is then generated, such that the sets, first, are decoherent on the basis of the assumed dynamics of the universe and, secondly, arc certainly inequivalent, apart from trivial special cases. Finally, the original set of histories is refined to get a model of the usual quasiclassical domain and it is shown that, applying to it the previously considered transformations, a family of sets of histories is obtained which share typical properties of the usual quasiclassical domain.Supported in part by the Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica and by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare.     

Quantum arrival time formula from decoherent histories

We use the decoherent histories approach to quantum mechanics to compute the probability for a wave packet to cross the origin during a given time interval. We define class operators (sums of strings of projectors) characterizing quantum-mechanical crossing and simplify them using a semiclassical approximation. Using these class operators we find that histories crossing the origin during different time intervals are approximately decoherent for a variety of initial states. Probabilities may therefore be assigned and coincide with the flux of the wave packet (the standard semiclassical formula), and are positive. The known initial states for which the flux is negative (backflow states) are shown to correspond to non-decoherent sets of histories, so probabilities may not be assigned.     

Exact phase space localized projectors from energy eigenstates

In investigations of the emergence of classicality from quantum theory, a useful step is the construction of quantum operators corresponding to the classical notion that the system resides in a region of phase space. The simplest such constructions are approximate projection operators. Here, we show how to construct exact projection operators which are localized on regions of phase. We elucidate the properties of such operators and explore their time evolution. For the harmonic oscillator we find sets of phase space localized histories which are exactly decoherent for any initial state and have probability 1 for classical evolution.     

Consistent Quantum Realism: A Reply to Griffiths

We call attention on the fact that we have already replied to the criticisms put forward by R. B. Griffiths to our position about decoherent histories.     

How to calculate decoherence matrices numerically

A central object in the interpretation of quantum mechanics of closed systems is the decoherence matrix. But only for a very small number of models one is able to give explicit expressions for its elements. So numerical methods are required. Unfortunately the dimensions of these matrices are usually very high, which makes also a direct numerical calculation impossible. In this paper I will develop an algorithm that combines the numerical calculation of the elements of the decoherence matrix with a permanent estimation. If the chosen histories are almost decoherent, the algorithm will provide the diagonal and maybe some near to diagonal elements only. In this case, within numerical errors, we can assume, that all not calculated elements are smaller than a given threshold. If the histories are coherent, the algorithm has to calculate too much data (there exist too much non-vanishing elements) and the success depends mainly on the available computer time.As an example I apply this procedure to the Caldeira—Leggett-model.     

Contrary Inferences in Consistent Histories and a Set Selection Criterion

The best developed formulation of closed system quantum theory that handles multiple-time statements, is the consistent (or decoherent) histories approach. The most important weaknesses of the approach is that it gives rise to many different consistent sets, and it has been argued that a complete interpretation should be accompanied with a natural mechanism leading to a (possibly) unique preferred consistent set. The existence of multiple consistent sets becomes more problematic because it allows the existence of contrary inferences [1]. We analyse the conceptual difficulties that arise from the existence of multiple consistent sets and provide a suggestion for a natural set selection criterion. This criterion does not lead to a unique physical consistent set, however it evades the existence of consistent sets with contrary inferences. The criterion is based on the concept of preclusion and the requirement that probability one propositions and their inferences should be non-contextual. The allowed consistent sets turn-out to be compatible with coevents which are the ontology of an alternative, histories based, formulation [2–4].     

Decoherent Histories of Spin Networks

The decoherent histories formalism, developed by Griffiths, Gell-Mann, and Hartle (in Phys. Rev. A 76:022104, 2007; arXiv:1106.0767v3 [quant-ph], 2011; Consistent Quantum Theory, Cambridge University Press, 2003; arXiv:gr-qc/9304006v2, 1992) is a general framework in which to formulate a timeless, ‘generalised’ quantum theory and extract predictions from it. Recent advances in spin foam models allow for loop gravity to be cast in this framework. In this paper, I propose a decoherence functional for loop gravity and interpret existing results (Bianchi et al. in Phys. Rev. D 83:104015, 2011; Phys. Rev. D 82:084035, 2010) as showing that coarse grained histories follow quasiclassical trajectories in the appropriate limit.     

Theory of decoherence at solid surfaces

Decoherence processes at solid surfaces are observed at all time scales. The most common surface processes are classified according to the presently common view on decoherence theory. Prominent examples of decoherent surface processes are electronic relaxation and deexcitation, vibrational relaxation, diffusion, inelastic scattering, sticking, STM-induced chemical reactions and desorption, localization of adsorbates. Various mechanisms, suggested at the present state of the art of decoherence theory, are investigated for their ability of providing the understanding of decoherence at solid surfaces. In some cases environmental decoherence by coupling to phonons and electron-hole pairs in the surface is a viable mechanism. Some new ideas are introduced, which have not been discussed in the framework of decoherence theory so far.     

Decoherence-and Dimerization-assisted Energy Transport in Protomer of Light-Harvesting Complexes

We have investigated the dynamics of a protomer coupled to two different decoherent environments,each in a configuration called the spin star configuration.Using the quantum mechanics method,in different situations,we obtain the analytical expressions for the transition probability in the protomer system.In thermal equilibrium,there exist well-defined ranges of parameters for which decoherent interaction between the protomer and the environment assists energy transfer in the protomer system,while in pure quantum mechanics states,the decoherent interaction assists energy transfer for an eigenstate but against energy transfer for quantum mechanics averages.In particular,we also find that the dimerization of two bacteriochlorophylls in protomer can always assist energy transfer in certain parameter range,and in the appropriate spin bath energy,the efficiency of energy transport is sensitively depended on the temperature of environments.     

Decoherent quantum walks driven by a generic coin operation

We consider the effect of different unitary noise mechanisms on the evolution of a quantum walk (QW) on a linear chain with a generic coin operation: (i) bit-flip channel noise, restricted to the coin subspace of the QW and (ii) topological noise caused by randomly broken links in the linear chain. Similarities and differences in the respective decoherent dynamics of the walker as a function of the probability per unit time of a decoherent event taking place are discussed.     

Implementation of Quantum Fourier Transform and Its Applications via Quantum-Dot Spins and Microcavity

A scheme for implementing discrete quantum Fourier transform isproposed via quantum dots embedded in a microcavity, and then someof its applications are investigated, i.e., Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm and Shor's quantum factoring. In particular, the detailed process of implementing one-qubit Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm and the factorization of N=15 are given. The microcavity mode is only virtually excited in the whole interaction, so the effective decoherent has slight effect on the current scheme. These schemeswould be an important step to fabricate a solid quantum computer.