Repeated measurements on a quantum system interacting with other quantum systems

In summary, the quantum zeno effect is the phenomenon that allows you to steer a quantum state into any other state.
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accdd
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In quantum mechanics if I repeat a measurement of the same observable in succession I get the same quantum state if it is not a degenerate state.
If I make the system under consideration interact with another quantum system and meanwhile keep measuring it what happens?
Does the system not interact because it is being measured? Does the system behave as if it were classical? All answers are welcome
 
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Assuming the measurement is a projective measurement:
accdd said:
In quantum mechanics if I repeat a measurement of the same observable in succession I get the same quantum state if it is not a degenerate state.
Why the caveat about degeneracy? The projector ##P_i## is idempotent ( ##P_iP_i\dots P_i|\psi\rangle = P_i|\psi\rangle## ) even if eigenvalue ##i## has degenerate eigenstates.

If I make the system under consideration interact with another quantum system and meanwhile keep measuring it what happens?
Does the system not interact because it is being measured? Does the system behave as if it were classical? All answers are welcome
This corresponds to the scenario ##P_i P_i \dots P_i U |\psi\rangle|\phi\rangle##? We know that ##P_iP_i\dots P_i = P_i## like above.
 
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accdd said:
if I repeat a measurement of the same observable in succession I get the same quantum state
You only get the same result and the same state if you repeat precisely the same measurement. Put another way, how close the new measurement is to the old measurement determines how likely it is that you will get the same result. If there's an evolution between the two measurements that modifies the state so that the result of the same measurement would be different, that will be equivalent to there being no such evolution but with the subsequent measurement being different: this is directly comparable to the difference between the Schrödinger picture and the Heisenberg picture of states and measurements.
Sequential measurement is a thing in the literature. My recent article in JPhysA 2022, "The collapse of a quantum state as a joint probability construction", https://doi.org/10.1088/1751-8121/ac6f2f, on arXiv as https://arxiv.org/abs/2101.10931, discusses sequential measurements as part of a wider discussion.
Your one observable case can be thought of as a special case of a commutative algebra of observables. There is a point of view in which a commutative algebra of observables can be thought of as in some sense "classical", however if it were that simple we would not still be talking about interpretations of QM. You could try a paper by Tsang&Caves in Phys. Rev. X 2012, Ref [17] in the article I just mentioned, "Evading quantum mechanics: engineering a classical subsystem within a quantum environment", which develops the idea of Quantum Non-Demolition meeasurement from inside QM, however there are many approaches that come under the general heading "Modal Interpretations" that develop similar ideas.
 
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accdd said:
In quantum mechanics if I repeat a measurement of the same observable in succession I get the same quantum state if it is not a degenerate state.
If I make the system under consideration interact with another quantum system and meanwhile keep measuring it what happens?
Does the system not interact because it is being measured? Does the system behave as if it were classical? All answers are welcome
Maybe, the quantum zeno effect might be of interest:

The quantum Zeno effect has an interesting history. It was first understood by von Neumann [3], who proved that any given quantum state ##\phi## can be “steered” into any other state ##\psi##, by applying a suitable series of measurements. If ##\phi## and ##\psi## coincide (modulo a phase factor), the evolution yields, in modern language, a quantum Zeno effect.

From “Quantum Zeno dynamics and quantum Zeno subspaces” by Paolo Facchi, Giuseppe Marmo and Saverio Pascazio (Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 196, SUDARSHAN: SEVEN SCIENCE QUESTS 6–7 November 2006)
 
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FAQ: Repeated measurements on a quantum system interacting with other quantum systems

What is the significance of repeated measurements in a quantum system?

Repeated measurements in a quantum system are crucial for understanding the dynamics and evolution of the system's state. They can reveal information about decoherence, the influence of the environment, and the stability of quantum states. By analyzing how a system's state changes over time under repeated measurements, scientists can gain insights into the fundamental nature of quantum mechanics and the interactions between quantum systems.

How do repeated measurements affect the state of a quantum system?

Repeated measurements can significantly affect the state of a quantum system due to the phenomenon known as the "quantum Zeno effect." This effect states that frequent measurements can inhibit the evolution of a quantum state, effectively "freezing" it in place. Conversely, the system can also undergo state reduction or collapse to one of the eigenstates of the measurement operator, depending on the measurement's nature and frequency.

What role does entanglement play in repeated measurements on interacting quantum systems?

Entanglement plays a critical role in repeated measurements on interacting quantum systems. When quantum systems are entangled, the measurement of one system can instantaneously affect the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them. This non-local correlation means that repeated measurements on one part of an entangled system can provide information about the entire system, leading to a deeper understanding of quantum correlations and the propagation of information across quantum systems.

How do environmental interactions impact repeated measurements on a quantum system?

Environmental interactions can lead to decoherence, which is the process by which a quantum system loses its quantum properties due to interaction with its surroundings. This interaction can cause the system to transition from a pure state to a mixed state, making it more classical in behavior. Repeated measurements in the presence of environmental interactions can therefore provide insights into the decoherence process and help in developing strategies to mitigate its effects, preserving quantum coherence for longer durations.

What experimental techniques are used to perform repeated measurements on quantum systems?

Several experimental techniques are used to perform repeated measurements on quantum systems, including the use of quantum dots, trapped ions, superconducting qubits, and optical lattices. These systems allow for precise control and manipulation of quantum states. Techniques such as quantum state tomography, Ramsey interferometry, and weak measurements are employed to observe and analyze the evolution of quantum states under repeated measurements. Advances in these techniques continue to enhance our ability to study and understand complex quantum interactions.

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