Radiation pressure as a source of decoherence

Paulo A. Maia Neto and Diego A. R. Dalvit
Phys. Rev. A 62, 042103 – Published 11 September 2000
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Abstract

We consider the interaction of an harmonic oscillator with the quantum field via radiation pressure. We show that a “Schrödinger cat” state decoheres in a time scale that depends on the degree of “classicality” of the state components, and which may be much shorter than the relaxation time scale associated to the dynamical Casimir effect. We also show that decoherence is a consequence of the entanglement between the quantum states of the oscillator and field two-photon states. With the help of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, we derive a relation between decoherence and damping rates valid for arbitrary values of the temperature of the field. Coherent states are selected by the interaction as pointer states.

  • Received 13 April 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.62.042103

©2000 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Paulo A. Maia Neto1,* and Diego A. R. Dalvit2,†

  • 1Instituto de Física, UFRJ, Caixa Postal 68528, 21945-970 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2T-6, Theoretical Division, MS B288, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545

  • *Email address: pamn@if.ufrj.br
  • Email address: dalvit@lanl.gov

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Vol. 62, Iss. 4 — October 2000

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