Non-representative Quantum Mechanical Weak Values

Foundations of Physics 45 (12):1645-1656 (2015)
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Abstract

The operational definition of a weak value for a quantum mechanical system involves the limit of the weak measurement strength tending to zero. I study how this limit compares to the situation for the undisturbed system. Under certain conditions, which I investigate, this limit is discontinuous in the sense that it does not merge smoothly to the Hilbert space description of the undisturbed system. Hence, in these discontinuous cases, the weak value does not represent the undisturbed system. As a result, conclusions drawn from such weak values regarding the properties of the studied system cannot be upheld. Examples are given

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References found in this work

Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory.Ruth Kastner - 2003 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):57-71.
Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory.Ruth Kastner - 2004 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):57-71.

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