Probing the Physical Reality of Projective Measurements

TL;DR

This paper proposes a protocol using repeated local measurements in quantum simulators to test the validity of the wave-function collapse postulate, contrasting it with a continuous, collapse-free measurement description.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental protocol and a continuous measurement model that challenge the traditional instantaneous projection assumption in quantum mechanics.

Findings

Repeated measurement statistics differ significantly from projective case.

Collapse-free measurement description reproduces distinct measurement statistics.

The approach is feasible with current quantum simulation platforms.

Abstract

We propose a protocol to test whether the postulate of a measurement acting as an instantaneous projection onto an eigenstate of the measurement apparatus is compatible with physical reality. This approach is solely based on repeated measurements of local quantities with frequencies that are within reach of analog quantum simulation platforms, for instance Rydberg atom arrays or ultracold gases in optical lattices. Crucially, we also develop a continuous description of a quantum measurement finding that its repeated-measurement statistics (RMS) drastically differ from the projective case. This description is based on very general assumptions about quantum systems, most importantly maintaining continuous dynamics of the coherent part of the state. Our findings imply that the significantly different measurement statistics in the collapse-free description should be qualitatively replicated by any modification of standard quantum theory that is lacking explicit wave-function collapses.