Phase uncertainty and loss of interference: A general picture

Ady Stern, Yakir Aharonov, and Yoseph Imry
Phys. Rev. A 41, 3436 – Published 1 April 1990
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Abstract

The problem of quantum interference in the presence of an environment is considered by two approaches. One treats the problem from the point of view of the trace left by the interfering particle on its environment. The other regards the phase accumulation of the interfering waves as a statistical process, and explains the loss of interference in terms of uncertainty in the relative phase. The equivalence of the two approaches is proven for the general case. The two approaches are applied to dephasing of electron interference by photon modes in coherent and thermal states, and to dephasing by electromagnetic fluctuations in metals.

  • Received 14 September 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.41.3436

©1990 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Ady Stern

  • Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel

Yakir Aharonov

  • Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Department of Physics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208

Yoseph Imry

  • Physics Department, Weizmann Institute of Sciences, Rehovot, Israel
  • IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598

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Issue

Vol. 41, Iss. 7 — April 1990

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