MPS-RR 2001-23
August 2001

General Framework for the Behaviour of Continuously Observed Open Quantum Systems

Ole E. Barndorff-Nielsen

Elena R. Loubenets

Abstract

In recent years, the problem of how to describe the behaviour of a quantum system continuously observed in time has been the subject of intensive investigations in the physical and the mathematical literature. This type of behaviour is generally not reversible in time and, hence, in particular, cannot be described by the Schrödinger equation whose solutions are reversible. The present strong interest in this fundamental problem is to a large extent caused by the rapid development of experimental techniques, where experiments involving continuous-time (i.e. continuous in time) `monitoring' of a quantum system have become possible. In the present paper we develop the general quantum stochastic approach to the description of quantum measurements continuous in time.

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