If very frequent periodic measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in its initial state, its evolution is hindered. This peculiar phenomenon is called quantum Zeno effect. We investigate the large-time limit of the survival probability as the total observation time scales as a power of the measurement frequency, t∝N α. The limit survival probability exhibits a sudden jump from 1 to 0 at α=1/2, the threshold between the quantum Zeno effect and a diffusive behavior. Moreover, we show that for α ≥ 1, the limit probability becomes sensitive to the spectral properties of the initial state and to the arithmetic properties of the measurement periods.
Large-time limit of the quantum Zeno effect
FACCHI, PAOLO;LIGABO', MARILENA
2017-01-01
Abstract
If very frequent periodic measurements ascertain whether a quantum system is still in its initial state, its evolution is hindered. This peculiar phenomenon is called quantum Zeno effect. We investigate the large-time limit of the survival probability as the total observation time scales as a power of the measurement frequency, t∝N α. The limit survival probability exhibits a sudden jump from 1 to 0 at α=1/2, the threshold between the quantum Zeno effect and a diffusive behavior. Moreover, we show that for α ≥ 1, the limit probability becomes sensitive to the spectral properties of the initial state and to the arithmetic properties of the measurement periods.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.