Continuous Quantum Measurements and Path Integrals

Abstract

Preface INTRODUCTION TO CONTINUOUS QUANTUM MEASUREMENTS Quantum and Classical Systems Amplitudes and Alternatives Paths and Continuous Measurements The Action Uncertainty Principle INSTANTANEOUS AND SEQUENTIAL MEASUREMENTS Measurement of a Quantum System Quantum Zeno Paradox Approximate and Sequential Measurements TECHNIQUE OF PATH INTEGRALS Propagators and Path Integrals Definition of a Path Integral The Path Integral for an Oscillator Gaussian Path Integrals CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT AND EVOLUTION OF THE MEASURED SYSTEM The Measurement Amplitude Effective Lagrangian Evolution of a Quantum System Subject to Continuous Measurement Scattering by the Measuring Medium CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENTS OF OSCILLATORS Position Monitoring (Path measurement) Estimation of Force Acting on an Oscillator Spectral Measurements of an Oscillator Evolution of a Harmonic Oscillator Subject to Spectral Measurement Measurement of a Path of a Nonlinear Oscillator CONTINUOUS QUANTUM NONDEMOLITION MEASUREMENTS Quantum Nondemolition Measurements Monitoring of Linear Momentum Velocity versus Momentum QND Measurements of Oscillators MEASUREMENT OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD Exposition of the Method Measurement Amplitude Analysis of the Results Another Definition of the Field Strength Explicit Model of a Meter TIME IN QUANTUM COSMOLOGY Statement of the Problem Measurements in Quantum Cosmology Minisuperspace without Measurement Minisuperspace under Measurement Analysis of the results Concluding Remarks THE ACTION UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE Uncertainties in Continuous Measurements Classical Regime of Measurements Quantum Regime and AUP AUP and Equations of Motion Examples from Quantum Mechanics Quantum Nondemolition Measurements AUP in Quantum Gravity Concluding Remarks GROUP-THEORETICAL STRUCTURE OF QUANTUM CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENTS Evolution under Measurement Transverse Group for Alternatives Longitudinal Semigroup for Evolution Unification of Transverse and Longitudinal Structures Concluding Remarks PATHS AND MEASUREMENTS: FURTHER DEVELOPMENT Quantum and Classical Features in Continuous Measurement The Two-Slit Experiment Wave-Particle Dualism Conceptual Problems References Index