Continuous and pulsed observations in the quantum Zeno effect
Abstract
The usual formulation of the quantum Zeno effect (QZE) uses a sequence of rapid observations to prevent change. The same effect can be achieved with continuous observation. For partial inhibition of change we provide a quantitative relation between pulsed (at intervals δt) and continuous (with response time τO) observations: the slowdown is the same for δt=4τO. Including the continuous observer in the Hamiltonian gives an alternative view of the QZE, showing the appropriateness of the name ``dominated time evolution.'' Finally, the variation on the QZE in which a nonconstant sequence of projections can force change is also shown to be achievable by time-varying continuous observation.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- March 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.57.1509
- Bibcode:
- 1998PhRvA..57.1509S
- Keywords:
-
- 03.65.Bz;
- 42.50.Lc;
- Quantum fluctuations quantum noise and quantum jumps