Abstract
Mainstream literature on spontaneous wave function collapse never reflects on or profits from the formal coincidence and conceptual relationship with standard collapse under time-continuous quantum measurement (monitoring). I propose some easy lessons of standard monitoring theory which would make spontaneous collapse models revise some of their claims. In particular, the objective detection of spontaneous collapse remains impossible as long as the correct identification of what corresponds to the signal in standard monitoring is missing from spontaneous collapse models, the physical detectability of the “signal” is not stated explicitly and, finally, the principles of physical detection are not revealed.
Highlights
Spontaneous wave function models [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], reviewed by [6, 7], dynamically violate the superposition principle of quantum mechanics, assuming tiny spontaneous time-continuous collapse of the wave function
The toolkit of standard quantum measurements is no more requested, it is always replaced by spontaneous collapses
Since collapse and classicality only appear at the level of the mathematical formalism, additional considerations are used to identify which mathematical object of the given spontaneous collapse model should represent the emerged classical entities
Summary
Spontaneous wave function models [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], reviewed by [6, 7], dynamically violate the superposition principle of quantum mechanics, assuming tiny spontaneous time-continuous collapse of the wave function. Lessons of time-continuous measurement (monitoring) theory [8, 9] are obligatory and instructive for spontaneous collapse, even if one would not implement them all. 2. Continuous measurement and collapse in standard quantum mechanics Considering the continuous measurement (monitoring) of the position qof a quantized particle, I published two Ito stochastic equations in 1988 [10, 11]. The evolution of the state vector ψt under coordinate monitoring is governed by the SSE: It causes dynamical collapse (localization) of the wave function which is the natural consequence of position measurements. If the signal qt is not accessible or just not recorded, the SSE becomes redundant It implies the following ME for the ensemble average (density matrix) ρt = ψtψt† st of the stochastic ψt: dρt dt [H. Quantum monitoring has since 1988 become a precise discipline of standard quantum theory, an unavoidable model of modern experiments, see monographs [8, 9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
