Observing the Progressive Decoherence of the {open_quote}{open_quote}Meter{close_quote}{close_quote} in a Quantum Measurement
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Departement de Physique de l`Ecole Normale Superieure, 24 Rue Lhomond, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05 (France)
A mesoscopic superposition of quantum states involving radiation fields with classically distinct phases was created and its progressive decoherence observed. The experiment involved Rydberg atoms interacting one at a time with a few photon coherent fields trapped in a high {ital Q} microwave cavity. The mesoscopic superposition was the equivalent of an {open_quote}{open_quote}atom+measuringapparatus{close_quote}{close_quote} system in which the {open_quote}{open_quote}meter{close_quote}{close_quote} was pointing simultaneously towards two different directions{emdash}a {open_quote}{open_quote}Schr{umlt o}dinger cat.{close_quote}{close_quote} The decoherence phenomenon transforming this superposition into a statistical mixture was observed while it unfolded, providing a direct insight into a process at the heart of quantum measurement. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
- OSTI ID:
- 399893
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 77, Issue 24; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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