Past quantum states
Autor: | Gammelmark, S��ren, Julsgaard, Brian, M��lmer, Klaus |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2013 |
Předmět: | |
Popis: | A density matrix {\rho}(t) yields probabilistic information about the outcome of measurements on a quantum system. We introduce here the past quantum state, which, at time T, accounts for the state of a quantum system at earlier times t < T. The past quantum state {\Xi}(t) is composed of two objects, {\rho}(t) and E(t), conditioned on the dynamics and the probing of the system until t and in the time interval [t, T], respectively. The past quantum state is characterized by its ability to make better predictions for the unknown outcome of projective and weak value measurements at t than the conventional quantum state at that time. On the one hand, our formalism shows how smoothing procedures for estimation of past classical signals by a quantum probe [M. Tsang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 250403, (2009)] apply also to describe the past state of the quantum system itself. On the other hand, it generalizes theories of pre- and post-selected quantum states [Y. Aharonov and L. Vaidman, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24, 2315 (1991)] to systems subject to any quantum measurement scenario, any coherent evolution, and any Markovian dissipation processes. Comment: Main text: 5 pages, 3 figures. Supplementary Material: 15 pages, 1 figure |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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