Quantum Zeno, Hamlet and similar effects

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects through photon polarization detection, introduces new effects like quantum Hamlet and anti-Hamlet effects, and draws classical analogies and interference-based effects.

Contribution

It introduces the quantum Hamlet and anti-Hamlet effects, extending the understanding of quantum Zeno phenomena with new detection scenarios and analogies.

Findings

Defined quantum Hamlet and anti-Hamlet effects.

Analyzed polarization detection analogies of Zeno effects.

Explored interference effects at beam splitters.

Abstract

Simply speaking quantum Zeno effect for an unstable quantum system represents total decay probability decrease by frequent decay detection. Analogously simply speaking quantum anti-Zeno effect for an unstable quantum system represents total no-decay probability decrease by frequent decay detection. Also, some authors considered optical, i.e. polarization detection analogy of quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects. In this work we consider basic standard quantum mechanical concepts in quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effect. We use simplest (Malus law) form of mentioned ideas on the photon polarization detection analogy of quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects and we suggest some new situations (non-equivalent time duration of the quantum dynamical evolution between different frequent detection). Correspondingly we define new quantum effects, quantum Hamlet effect (when, by frequent detection, final total polarization angle and state converge but total probability for appearance of this state diverges) and quantum anti-Hamlet effect (when, by frequent detection, final total polarization angle and state diverge but total probability for appearance of this state converges). Also, we consider a rough classical mechanical analogy of Zeno effect. Finally we consider frequent interference of single photon at beam splitters and obtain for different values of reflection and transmission coefficients analogies of quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effect as well as analogy of usual exponentially decreasing decay law.