A time-dependent perturbative analysis for a quantum particle in a cloud chamber

Emergence of classical trajectories in quantum systems: the cloud chamber problem in the analysis of Mott (1929)

We analyze the paper "The wave mechanics of $α$-ray tracks" (Mott, 1929), published in 1929 by N.F. Mott. In particular, we discuss the theoretical context in which the paper appeared and give a detailed account of the approach used by the author and the main result attained. Moreover, we comment on the relevance of the work not only as far as foundations of Quantum Mechanics are concerned but also as the earliest pioneering contribution in decoherence theory.

Classical behavior in quantum systems: the case of straight tracks in a cloud chamber

The aim of this review is to discuss in a pedagogical way the problem of the emergence of a classical behavior in certain physical systems which, in principle, are correctly described by quantum mechanics. It is stressed that the limit $\hbar \to 0$ is not sufficient and the crucial role played by the environment must be taken into account. In particular it is recalled the old problem raised by Mott in 1929 (\cite{m}) concerning the straight tracks observed in a cloud chamber, produced by an $α$-particle emitted by a source in the form of a spherical wave. The conceptual relevance of the probl…

量子环境中量子粒子的模型：一项数值研究

A model of a quantum particle in a quantum environment: a numerical study

本文提出一维云室玩具模型，通过数值模拟揭示量子粒子与局域自旋环境的能量交换如何使动量叠加态退相干为左右两条经典轨迹。

A Dynamical Theory of Quantum Measurement and Spontaneous Localization

We develop a rigorous treatment of discontinuous stochastic unitary evolution for a system of quantum particles that interacts singularly with quantum "bubbles" at random instants of time. This model of a "cloud chamber" allows to watch and follow with a quantum particle along the trajectory in the cloud chamber by sequential unsharp localization of spontaneous scatterings of the bubbles. Thus, the continuous reduction and spontaneous localization theory is obtained as the result of quantum filtering theory, i.e., a theory describing the conditioning of the a priori quantum state by the measur…

From Faddeev-Kulish to LSZ. Towards a non-perturbative description of colliding electrons

In a low energy approximation of the massless Yukawa theory (Nelson model) we derive a Faddeev-Kulish type formula for the scattering matrix of $N$ electrons and reformulate it in LSZ terms. To this end, we perform a decomposition of the infrared finite Dollard modifier into clouds of real and virtual photons, whose infrared divergencies mutually cancel. We point out that in the original work of Faddeev and Kulish the clouds of real photons are omitted, and consequently their scattering matrix is ill-defined on the Fock space of free electrons. To support our observations, we compare our final…

Infraparticle quantum fields and the formation of photon clouds

A non-perturbative and exactly solvable quantum field theoretical model for a "dressed Dirac field" is presented, that exhibits all the kinematical features of QED: an appropriate delocalization of the charged field as a prerequisite for the global Gauss Law, superselected photon clouds (asymptotic expectation values of the Maxwell field), infraparticle nature of charged particles that cannot be separated from their photon clouds, broken Lorentz symmetry. The model serves as an intermediate leg on a new roadmap towards full QED, formulated as an off-shell theory, i.e., including a perturbative…