Interaction-free measurement
Encyclopedia
In physics
, interaction-free measurement is a type of measurement in quantum mechanics
that detects the position or state of an object without an interaction occurring between it and the measuring device. Examples include the Renninger negative-result experiment
, the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb-testing problem, and certain double-cavity optical systems.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, interaction-free measurement is a type of measurement in quantum mechanics
Measurement in quantum mechanics
The framework of quantum mechanics requires a careful definition of measurement. The issue of measurement lies at the heart of the problem of the interpretation of quantum mechanics, for which there is currently no consensus....
that detects the position or state of an object without an interaction occurring between it and the measuring device. Examples include the Renninger negative-result experiment
Renninger negative-result experiment
In quantum mechanics, the Renninger negative-result experiment is a thought experiment that illustrates some of the difficulties of understanding the nature of wave function collapse and measurement in quantum mechanics...
, the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb-testing problem, and certain double-cavity optical systems.