On Repeated Measurements of a Quantum Particle in a Harmonic Potential |
| F. Gampel, M. Gajda
Institute of Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warszawa, Poland |
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| We study the evolution of a quantum particle in a harmonic potential whose position and momentum are repeatedly monitored. A back-action of measuring devices is accounted for. Our model utilizes a generalized measurement corresponding to the positive operator-valued measure. We assume that upon measurement, the particle's wavefunction is projected onto one of the possible detector states depending on the observed result. We chose these post-measurement states to be moving Gaussian wavepackets. The wavefunction quantum Monte Carlo formalism is used to simulate single quantum trajectories of the particle. We show how classical trajectories emerge in the course of observation and study in detail the dispersion of position and momentum of the particle. |
DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.143.131 topics: open quantum systems, repeated measurement, wavefunction quantum Monte Carlo |