Quantum trajectories for nonlinear optical processes

The stochastic Schrödinger equation, a novel method for describing the dissipative dynamics of open quantum systems interacting with their environment, is applied to some nonlinear optical processes, namely nonlinear absorption and second‐harmonic generation, the latter also in the range of instabilities and classical chaotic behaviour. Where possible the results are compared with numerical simulations of the positive P representation, which in some cases are found to give unreliable results.