Event-Based Corpuscular Model for Quantum Optics Experiments

Michielsen, K.; Jin, Fengping; Raedt, Hans De

doi:10.1166/jctn.2011.1783

Cited by 44 publications

(144 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…They perform numerical simulations using algorithms that the mimic the underlying events, and are able to reproduce the statistical distributions given by quantum mechanics [227,228]. The consistent histories approach negates the fundamental need of measurements for understanding quantum measurements (quantum mechanics without measurements).…”

Section: Seeking the Solution Outside Quantum Mechanicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding quantum measurement from the solution of dynamical models

Allahverdyan¹,

Balian²,

2013

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The quantum measurement problem, to wit, understanding why a unique outcome is obtained in each individual experiment, is currently tackled by solving models. After an introduction we review the many dynamical models proposed over the years for elucidating quantum measurements. The approaches range from standard quantum theory, relying for instance on quantum statistical mechanics or on decoherence, to quantum-classical methods, to consistent histories and to modifications of the theory. Next, a flexible and rather realistic quantum model is introduced, describing the measurement of the z-component of a spin through interaction with a magnetic memory simulated by a Curie-Weiss magnet, including N 1 spins weakly coupled to a phonon bath. Initially prepared in a metastable paramagnetic state, it may transit to its up or down ferromagnetic state, triggered by its coupling with the tested spin, so that its magnetization acts as a pointer. A detailed solution of the dynamical equations is worked out, exhibiting several time scales. Conditions on the parameters of the model are found, which ensure that the process satisfies all the features of ideal measurements. Various imperfections of the measurement are discussed, as well as attempts of incompatible measurements. The first steps consist in the solution of the Hamiltonian dynamics for the spin-apparatus density matrixD(t). Its off-diagonal blocks in a basis selected by the spin-pointer coupling, rapidly decay owing to the many degrees of freedom of the pointer. Recurrences are ruled out either by some randomness of that coupling, or by the interaction with the bath. On a longer time scale, the trend towards equilibrium of the magnet produces a final stateD(t f ) that involves correlations between the system and the indications of the pointer, thus ensuring registration. AlthoughD(t f ) has the form expected for ideal measurements, it only describes a large set of runs. Individual runs are approached by analyzing the final states associated with all possible subensembles of runs, within a specified version of the statistical interpretation. There the difficulty lies in a quantum ambiguity: There exist many incompatible decompositions of the density matrixD(t f ) into a sum of sub-matrices, so that one cannot infer from its sole determination the states that would describe small subsets of runs. This difficulty is overcome by dynamics due to suitable interactions within the apparatus, which produce a special combination of relaxation and decoherence associated with the broken invariance of the pointer. Any subset of runs thus reaches over a brief delay a stable state which satisfies the same hierarchic property as in classical probability theory; the reduction of the state for each individual run follows. Standard quantum statistical mechanics alone appears sufficient to explain the occurrence of a unique answer in each run and the emergence of classicality in a measurement process. Finally, pedagogical exercises are proposed and lessons for future works on m...

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Section: Seeking the Solution Outside Quantum Mechanicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding quantum measurement from the solution of dynamical models

Allahverdyan¹,

Balian²,

2013

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“…Our event-based approach has successfully been used for discrete-event simulations of the single beam splitter and Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment of Grangier et al [7] (see [8][9][10]), Wheeler's delayed choice experiment of Jacques et al [11] (see [10,12,13]), the quantum eraser experiment of Schwindt et al [14] (see [10,15]), two-beam single-photon interference experiments and the single-photon interference experiment with a Fresnel biprism of Jacques et al [16] (see [10,17]), quantum cryptography protocols (see [18]), the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment of Agafonov et al [19] (see [10,20]), universal quantum computation (see [21,22]), Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm (EPRB)-type of experiments of Aspect et al [23,24] and Weihs et al [25] (see [5,10,[26][27][28][29][30]), and the propagation of electromagnetic plane waves through homogeneous thin films and stratified media (see [10,31]). An extensive review of the simulation method and its applications is given in [10].…”

Section: The Event-based Simulation Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An extensive review of the simulation method and its applications is given in [10]. Interactive demonstration programs, including source codes, are available for download [32][33][34].…”

Section: The Event-based Simulation Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, using adaptive threshold detectors in a Mach-Zehnder interferometry experiment leads to an overall detection efficiency of nearly 100%, while using the same detectors in a singlephoton two-beam experiment (see Sect. 2.1) leads to an overall detection efficiency of about 15% [10,17]. Also the data processing procedure which is applied after the data has been collected may have an influence on the final detection efficiency.…”

Section: Event-based Modeling and Detection Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…provides a rational, logically consistent, common-sense explanation of how the detection of individual objects that do not interact with each other can give rise to the interference patterns that are being observed. As there are several breeds of such models [10,17,51] that reproduce the statistical distribution predicted by quantum theory, only a new kind of experiment, specifically addressing this issue can provide a verdict about the applicability of these models to the problem at hand [17]. For the purpose of illustration, we consider the simple experiment sketched in Fig.…”

Section: Two-beam Interferencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Event‐by‐event simulation of quantum phenomena

Raedt

Zhao²,

Yuan³

et al. 2012

Annalen der Physik

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A discrete‐event simulation approach is reviewed that does not require the knowledge of the solution of the wave equation of the whole system, yet reproduces the statistical distributions of wave theory by generating detection events one‐by‐one. The simulation approach is illustrated by applications to a two‐beam interference experiment and two Bell test experiments, an Einstein‐Podolsky‐Rosen‐Bohm experiment with single photons employing post‐selection for pair identification and a single‐neutron Bell test interferometry experiment with nearly 100 % detection efficiency.

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