Title
On the Quantum Mechanical Measurement Process
Author
Naus, H.W.L.
Publication year
2021
Abstract
The quantum mechanical measurement process is analyzed by means of an explicit generic model describing the interaction between object and measuring device. The solution of the Schrödinger equation for the whole system refects the 'collapse' of the object wave function. A necessary condition is a sufciently sharply peaked initial measurement device wave function, which is guaranteed in its classical limit. With this assumption, it is in particular proven that the off-diagonal elements of the object density matrix vanish. This study therefore shows the reduction of the object state to be a consequence of Hamiltonian evolution of the total system.
Subject
Quantum mechanics
Measurement process
Interaction
Hamiltonian evolution
Collapse
Density matrix
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5ed2de08-6ff8-40eb-a34e-1fecfa6642c0
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-021-00404-5
TNO identifier
946944
Publisher
Springer, Heidelberg, Germany
ISSN
0015-9018
Source
Foundations of Physics, 51 (51)
Document type
article