English

Pure-state quantum trajectories for general non-Markovian systems do not exist

Quantum Physics 2009-11-13 v2

Abstract

Since the first derivation of non-Markovian stochastic Schr\"odinger equations, their interpretation has been contentious. In a recent Letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 080401 (2008)], Di\'osi claimed to prove that they generate "true single system trajectories [conditioned on] continuous measurement". In this Letter we show that his proof is fundamentally flawed: the solution to his non-Markovian stochastic Schr\"odinger equation at any particular time can be interpreted as a conditioned state, but joining up these solutions as a trajectory creates a fiction.

Cite

@article{arxiv.0806.3101,
  title  = {Pure-state quantum trajectories for general non-Markovian systems do not exist},
  author = {Howard M. Wiseman and J. M. Gambetta},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0806.3101},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

4 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-21T10:52:17.029Z