The spreading of a wave packet in various nonlinear external potentials with dissipation is studied. The dynamical description of this spreading is given by the use of the squeezed states and the semiquantal approach. We show that the position uncertainty of a Gaussian wave packet is dictated by quantum correlation and the behavior of its evolution can be vividly displayed. For various external potentials with dissipation, we find that the spreading of the wave packet is inevitably suppressed.

• Received 28 March 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.52.1746