CONTINUOUS STERN-GERLACH EFFECT AND THE QUANTUM-STATE DIFFUSION-MODELOF STATE REDUCTION

A quantum-mechanical description of the continuous Stern-Gerlach effec t is developed in which environmental effects, as well as effects aris ing from the continuous measurement of the electronic z motion. are ta ken into account. Master equations are presented that describe the beh avior of a quantum statistical ensemble of continuous measurement proc esses. On the basis of these master equations and with the help of the quantum-state diffusion model a theoretical description of individual continuous measurement processes is developed.