Short-time quantum detection: probing quantum fluctuations

Abstract: In this work we study the information provided by a detector click on the state of an initially excited two level system. By computing the time evolution of the corresponding conditioned probability beyond the rotating wave approximation, as needed for short time analysis, we show that a click in the detector is related with the decay of the source only for long times of interaction. For short times, non-rotating wave approximation effects, like self-excitations of the detector, forbid a na\"{i}ve interpretation of the detector readings. These effects might appear in circuit QED experiments.