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physics, mathematical physics, philosophy of physics
theory (physics), model (physics)
experiment, measurement, computable physics
Axiomatizations
Tools
Structural phenomena
Types of quantum field thories
Quantum measurement is measurement in quantum mechanics. Due to traditional conceptual puzzlement also referred to as the measurement problem, see at interpretation of quantum mechanics.
In terms of mixed quantum states represented by density matrices, a quantum measurement is a quantum operation which is given by a positive-operator valued measure
In the context of interpretation of quantum mechanicsit is common to speak of the “measurement problem” when referring to the tension between regarding quantum physics as a probabilistic theory and the idea of realism.
Namely by the above a quantum measurement is formally reflected in a change of probabilities. But since in any given measurement experiment one definite outcome is observed, one may wonder how that particular outcome was actually chosen, given that the theory only gives its probability.
The article
points out that for symmetric systems with a symmetric ground state, already a tiny perturbation mixing the ground state with the first excited state causes spontaneous symmetry breaking in a suitable limit, and suggests that this already resolves the measurement problem.
Revision on March 25, 2014 at 05:12:34 by Urs Schreiber See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.