We consider questions related to the following quantization scheme: a classical variable f: Ω → ℝ on a phase space Ω is associated with a unique semispectral measure E f , such that the kth moment operator of E f is required to coincide with the operator integral L(f k , E) of f k with respect to a certain fixed phase space semispectral measure E. Mainly, we take the phase space Ω to be a locally compact unimodular group. In the concrete case where Ω = ℝ2 and E is a translation covariant semispectral measure, we determine explicitly the relevant operators L(f k , E) for certain variables f. In addition, we consider the question under what conditions a positive operator measure is projection valued.
We consider questions related to a quantization scheme in which a classical variable f:Ω→R on a phase space Ω is associated with a (preferably unique) semispectral measure Ef, such that the moment operators of Ef are required to be of the form Γ(fk), with Γ a suitable mapping from the set of classical variables to the set of (not necessarily bounded) operators in the Hilbert space of the quantum system. In particular, we investigate the situation where the map Γ is implemented by the operator integral with respect to some fixed positive operator measure. The phase space Ω is first taken to be an abstract measurable space, then a locally compact unimodular group, and finally R2, where we determine explicitly the relevant operators Γ(fk) for certain variables f, in the case where the quantization map Γ is implemented by a translation covariant positive operator measure. In addition, we consider the question under what conditions a positive operator measure is projection valued.
We consider questions related to a quantization scheme in which a classical variable f:Ω\to R on a phase space Ωis associated with a semispectral measure E^f, such that the moment operators of E^f are required to be of the form Γ(f^k), with Γa suitable mapping from the set of classical variables to the set of (not necessarily bounded) operators in some Hilbert space. In particular, we investigate the situation where the map Γis implemented by the operator integral with respect to some fixed positive operator measure. The phase space Ωis first taken to be an abstract measurable space, then a locally compact unimodular group, and finally R^2, where we determine explicitly the relevant operators Γ(f^k) for certain variables f, in the case where the quantization map Γis implemented by a translation covariant positive operator measure. In addition, we consider the question under what conditions a positive operator measure is projection valued.
The questions studied in this thesis are centered around the moment operators of a quantum observable, the latter being represented by a normalized positive operator measure. The moment operators of an observable are physically relevant, in the sense that these operators give, as averages, the moments of the outcome statistics for the measurement of the observable. The main questions under consideration in this work arise from the fact that, unlike a projection valued observable of the von Neumann formulation, a general positive operator measure cannot be characterized by its first moment operator. The possibility of characterizing certain observables by also involving higher moment operators is investigated and utilized in three different cases: a characterization of projection valued measures among all the observables is given, a quantization scheme for unbounded classical variables using translation covariant phase space operator measures is presented, and, finally, a mathematically rigorous description is obtained for the measurements of rotated quadratures and phase space observables via the high amplitude limit in the balanced homodyne and eight-port homodyne detectors, respectively. In addition, the structure of the covariant phase space operator measures, which is essential for the above quantization, is analyzed in detail in the context of a (not necessarily unimodular) locally compact group as the phase space.
In accordance with the fact that quantum measurements are described in terms of positive operator measures (POMs), we consider certain aspects of a quantization scheme in which a classical variable
f:R2→R is associated with a unique positive operator measure (POM)
Ef, which is not necessarily projection valued. The motivation for such a scheme comes from the well-known fact that due to the noise in a quantum measurement, the resulting outcome distribution is given by a POM and cannot, in general, be described in terms of a traditional observable, a selfadjoint operator. Accordingly, we notice that the noiseless measurements are the ones which are determined by a selfadjoint operator. The POM
Ef in our quantization is defined through its moment operators, which are required to be of the form
Γ(fk),
k∈N, with
Γ a fixed map from classical variables to Hilbert space operators. In particular, we consider the quantization of classical \emph{questions}, that is, functions
f:R2→R taking only values 0 and 1. We compare two concrete realizations of the map
Γ in view of their ability to produce noiseless measurements: one being the Weyl map, and the other defined by using phase space probability distributions.