2002/12/19 by Michael B. Mensky, Mensky, Michael B. · 2 citations
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/0212112
10 pages, reported at International Conference on Theoretical Physics (TH-2002), Paris, UNESCO, 22-27 July 2002
arxiv created 2002/12/19 · openalex publication_date 2002/12/19 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The restricted-path-integral (RPI) theory of continuous quantum measurements including the evolution of the measured systems and phenomenon of decoherence is reviewed. The measured system is considered as an open quantum system but without usage of any model of the measurement (of the measuring medium or the system's environment). The propagator of a measured system (conditioned by the measurement readout) is presented by RPI. In the important special case of monitoring an observable the propagator and the system's wave function satisfy Schroedinger equation with a complex Hamiltonian (depending on the measurement readout). Going over to the non-selective description of the measurement leads to the Lindblad master equation. In case of non-minimally disturbing measurements this gives theory of dissipative systems avoiding difficulties of other approaches. The whole theory is deduced from first principles of quantum mechanics. This proves that quantum mechanics includes theory of measurements and is therefore conceptually closed.