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arXiv:0903.3297 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Quantum Zeno dynamics: mathematical and physical aspects

P Facchi, S Pascazio

Published Oct 29, 2008• 391 citations
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Abstract

If frequent measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in its initial state, transitions to other states are hindered and the quantum Zeno effect takes place. However, in its broader formulation, the quantum Zeno effect does not necessarily freeze everything. On the contrary, for frequent projections onto a multidimensional subspace, the system can evolve away from its initial state, although it remains in the subspace defined by the measurement. The continuing time evolution within the projected "quantum Zeno subspace" is called "quantum Zeno dynamics:" for instance, if the measurements ascertain whether a quantum particle is in a given spatial region, the evolution is unitary and the generator of the Zeno dynamics is the Hamiltonian with hard-wall (Dirichlet) boundary conditions. We discuss the physical and mathematical aspects of this evolution, highlighting the open mathematical problems. We then analyze some alternative strategies to obtain a Zeno dynamics and show that they are physically equivalent.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/41/49/493001

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If frequent measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in its initial state, transitions to other states are hindered and the quantum Zeno effect takes place. However, in its broader formulation, the quantum Zeno effect does not necessarily freeze everything. On the contrary, for frequent projections onto a multidimensional subspace, the system can evolve away from its initial state, although it remains in the subspace defined by the measurement. The continuing time evolution within the projected "quantum Zeno subspace" is called "quantum Zeno dynamics:" for instance, if the measurements ascertain whether a quantum particle is in a given spatial region, the evolution is unitary and the generator of the Zeno dynamics is the Hamiltonian with hard-wall (Dirichlet) boundary conditions. We discuss the physical and mathematical aspects of this evolution, highlighting the open mathematical problems. We then analyze some alternative strategies to obtain a Zeno dynamics and show that they are physically equivalent.
Abstract. If frequent measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in its initial state, transitions to other states are hindered and the quantum Zeno effect takes place. However, in its broader formulation, the quantum Zeno effect does not necessarily freeze everything. On the contrary, for frequent projections onto a multidimensional subspace, the system can evolve away from its initial state, although it remains in the subspace defined by the measurement. The continuing time evolution within the projected “quantum Zeno subspace ” is called “quantum Zeno dynamics: ” for instance, if the measurements ascertain whether a quantum particle is in a given spatial region, the evolution is unitary and the generator of the Zeno dynamics is the Hamiltonian with hard-wall (Dirichlet) boundary conditions. We discuss the physical and mathematical aspects of this evolution, highlighting the open mathematical problems. We then analyze some alternative strategies to obtain a Zeno dynamics and show that they are physically equivalent.
If frequent measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in a given subspace, it remains in that subspace and a quantum Zeno effect takes place. The limiting time evolution within the projected subspace is called quantum Zeno dynamics. This phenomenon is related to the limit of a product formula obtained by intertwining the time evolution group with an orthogonal projection. By introducing a novel product formula, we will give a characterization of the quantum Zeno effect for finite-rank projections in terms of a spectral decay property of the Hamiltonian in the range of the projections. Moreover, we will also characterize its limiting quantum Zeno dynamics and exhibit its (not necessarily bounded from below) generator as a generalized mean value Hamiltonian.
The evolution of a quantum system undergoing very frequent measurements takes place in a subspace of the total Hilbert space (quantum Zeno effect). The dynamical properties A quantum system, prepared in a state that does not belong to an eigenvalue of its total Hamiltonian, starts to evolve quadratically in time [1, 2]. This behavior leads to the so-called quantum Zeno phenomenon: by performing frequent measurements on the system, in order to check whether it is still in its initial state, one can “slow
We investigate some examples of quantum Zeno dynamics, when a system undergoes very frequent (projective) measurements that ascertain whether it is within a given spatial region. In agreement with previously obtained results, the evolution is found to be unitary and the generator of the Zeno dynamics is the Hamiltonian with hard-wall (Dirichlet) boundary conditions. By using a new approach to this problem, this result is found to be valid in an arbitrary N -dimensional compact domain. We then propose some preliminary ideas concerning the algebra of observables in the projected region and finally look at the case of a projection onto a lower-dimensional space: in such a situation the Zeno ansatz turns out to be a procedure to impose constraints.
Abstract. We investigate a few examples of quantum Zeno dynamics, when a system undergoes very frequent (projective) measurements that ascertain whether it is within a given spatial region. The evolution is found to be unitary and the generator of the Zeno dynamics is the Hamiltonian with hard-wall (Dirichlet) boundary conditions. This result is generalized to an arbitrary N-dimensional compact domain. We then look at the case of a projection onto a lower dimensional space: in such a situation the Zeno ansatz turns out to be a procedure to impose a constraint. § To whom correspondence should be addressed (paolo.facchi@ba.infn.it) Zeno dynamics and constraints 2 1.