Spatial Correlation in Matter Wave Interference as a Measure of Decoherence, Dephasing and Entropy
arXiv:1711.11223 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.97.043608
Abstract
The loss of contrast in double-slit electron-diffraction due to dephasing and decoherence processes is studied. It is shown that the spatial correlation function of diffraction patterns can be used to distinguish between dephasing and decoherence. This establishes a measure of time-reversibility that does not require the determination of coherence terms of the density matrix, while von Neumann entropy, another measure of time-reversibility, does require coherence terms. This technique is exciting in view of the need to understand and control the detrimental experimental effects of contrast loss and for fundamental studies on the transition from the classical to the quantum regime.
14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Physical Review A
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- Decoherence of matter waves by thermal emission of radiation
- Hund's paradox and the collisional stabilization of chiral molecules
- Path integrals and the double slit
- Multi-frequency perturbations in matter-wave interferometry
- Vibrational dephasing in matter-wave interferometers