Reduction of the state vector by a nonlinear Schrödinger equation

Abstract

It is hypothesized that the state vector describes the physical state of a single system in nature. Then it is necessary that the state vector of a macroscopic apparatus not assume the form of a superposition of macroscopically distinguishable state vectors. To prevent this, it is suggested that a nonlinear term be added to the Schr\"odinger equation, which rapidly drives the amplitude of one or another of the state vectors in such a superposition to one, and the rest to zero. It is proposed that it is the phase angles of the amplitudes immediately after a measurement which determine which amplitude is driven to one. A diffusion equation is arrived at to describe the reduction of an ensemble of state vectors corresponding to an ensemble of macroscopically identically prepared experiments. Then a nonlinear term to add to the Schr\"odinger equation is presented, and it is shown that this leads to the diffusion equation in a weak-coupling approximation.