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Physical Review A

Reply to ‘‘Comment on ‘Quantum Zeno effect’’’

Wayne M. Itano, Daniel J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger, David J. Wineland

Published May 1, 1991• 74 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Various interpretations of quantum mechanics are valid insofar as they predict the same experimental results. Some invoke ``wave-function collapse'' and some do not. An interpretation based on the collapse postulate provides a simple explanation for a recent experimental demonstration of the quantum Zeno effect [Itano et al., Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)], but other interpretations are also valid.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.43.5168

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Comment on ‘‘Computational approach to the quantum Zeno effect: Position measurements’’

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Physical Review A•Nov 1, 1990•101 citations
Various interpretations of quantum mechanics are valid insofar as they predict the same experimental results. Some invoke ``wave-function collapse'' and some do not. An interpretation based on the collapse postulate provides a simple explanation for a recent experimental demonstration of the quantum Zeno effect [Itano et al., Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)], but other interpretations are also valid.
The quantum Zeno effect is not a general characteristic of continuous measurements. In a recently reported experiment [Itano et al., Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)], the inhibition of atomic excitation and deexcitation is not due to any ``collapse of the wave function,'' but instead is caused by a very strong perturbation due to the optical pulses and the coupling to the radiation field. The experiment should not be cited as providing empirical evidence in favor of the notion of ``wave-function collapse.''
We examine results presented by Fearn and Lamb [Phys. Rev. A 46, 1199 (1992)], who search for, but fail to find, the quantum Zeno effect in measurements of the position of a particle in a double potential well, and criticize the basic statement of the effect given by Misra and Sudarshan [J. Math. Phys. 18, 756 (1977)]. We suggest that position measurements are an inappropriate area to look for the effect; nevertheless, we show that some of the results of Fearn and Lamb should, and do, exhibit a form of weak effect. Though the collapse postulate, as used by Misra and Sudarshan, is not required to discuss quantum measurement and the quantum Zeno effect, its application describes adequately the results of measurement, and we reject the idea that the basic statement of the quantum Zeno effect is flawed.