Large Time Behavior and Convergence Rate for Quantum Filters Under Standard Non Demolition Conditions

A quantum system $${\mathcal S}$$S undergoing continuous time measurement is usually described by a jump-diffusion stochastic differential equation. Such an equation is called a quantum filtering equation (or quantum stochastic master equation) and its solution is called a quantum filter (or quantum trajectory). This solution describes the evolution of the state of $${\mathcal S}$$S. In the context of quantum non demolition measurement, we investigate the large time behavior of this solution. It is rigorously shown that, for large time, this solution behaves as if a direct Von Neumann measurement has been performed at time 0. In particular the solution converges to a random pure state which can be directly linked to the wave packet reduction postulate. Using the theory of Girsanov transformation, we obtain the explicit rate of convergence towards this random state. The problem of state estimation (used in experiment) is also investigated.