Heisenberg cut Heisenberg cut In quantum mechanics, a Heisenberg cut is the hypothetical interface between quantum events and an observer's information, knowledge, or conscious awareness. Below the cut everything is governed by the wave function; above the cut a classical description is used. The Heisenberg cut is a theoretical construct; it is not known whether actual Heisenberg cuts exist, where they might be found, or how they could be detected experimentally. However, the concept is useful for analysis. The cut is named after Werner Heisenberg's work on the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics in which it is associated with wave function collapse.
Heisenberg picture line above is the Heisenberg Hamiltonian "H"("t"), which may differ from the Schrödinger Hamiltonian. An important special case of the equation above is obtained if the Hamiltonian does not vary with time. Then the time-evolution operator can be written as Therefore, and, Here ∂"A"/∂"t" is the time derivative of the initial "A", not the "A"("t") operator defined. The last equation holds since commutes with . If the Hamiltonian does not vary with time, then the time-evolution operator can be written as where is the Hamiltonian and is the reduced Planck constant. Therefore, Thus and hence emerges the above Heisenberg equation