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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Quantum erasure within the optical Stern-Gerlach model
A. VaglicaM. ChianelloG. VetriMichele Tumminellosubject
PhysicsQuantum PhysicsQuantum decoherenceStern–Gerlach experimentField (physics)FOS: Physical sciencesInterference (wave propagation)Atomic and Molecular Physics and OpticsClassical mechanicsDEFLECTIONPhase spaceQuantum mechanicsErasureWigner distribution functionQuantum Physics (quant-ph)Quantumdescription
In the optical Stern-Gerlach effect the two branches in which the incoming atomic packet splits up can display interference pattern outside the cavity when a field measurement is made which erases the which-way information on the quantum paths the system can follow. On the contrary, the mere possibility to acquire this information causes a decoherence effect which cancels out the interference pattern. A phase space analysis is also carried out to investigate on the negativity of the Wigner function and on the connection between its covariance matrix and the distinguishability of the quantum paths.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-02-11 | Physical Review A |