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Title: Approaching infinite temperature upon repeated measurements of a quantum system

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. Institut fuer Physik, Universitaet Augsburg, Universitaetsstrasse 1, D-86135 Augsburg (Germany)

The influence of repeated projective measurements on the dynamics of the state of a quantum system is studied as a function of the time lag {tau} between successive measurements. In the limit of infinitely many measurements of the occupancy of a single state the total system approaches a uniform state. The asymptotic approach to this state is exponential in the case of finite Hilbert space dimension. The rate characterizing this approach undergoes a sharp transition from a monotonically increasing to an erratically varying function of the time between subsequent measurements.

OSTI ID:
22068642
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Vol. 84, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: Syrian Arab Republic; ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English