ArXiv · 2026
Quantum measurements not only extract information but also reshape quantum evolution through measurement backaction. Here, we investigate periodic conditional measurements, in which coherent evolution is repeatedly interrupted by local measurements. We show that the bright and dark modes of the conditional evolution operator provide a unified spectral description of both the post-selected final state along no-detection trajectories and the statistics of detection events. Using a three-dimensional photonic chip, we demonstrate on-demand state engineering through dark-mode preservation and bright-mode selection, enabling the protection of topological corner states and excited-state shelving. We further observe the predicted transition of the total detection probability on an effectively infinite one-dimensional lattice and identify its microscopic origin in Floquet near-dark modes. These results establish periodic conditional measurements as a general framework for engineering conditional quantum states and manipulating event-detection statistics in monitored quantum dynamics.
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