Decoherence: And the Quantum-To-Classical TransitionOver the course of the past decade, decoherence has become a ubiquitous scienti?c term popular in all kinds of research, from fundamental theories of quantum physics to applications in nanoengineering. Decoherence has been hailed as the solution to long-standing foundational problems dating back to the beginnings of quantum mechanics. It has been cursed as the key obstacle to next-generation technologies, such as quantum computers (another se- ingly omnipresent ?eld of research). And while decoherence has been directly observed in various experiments, its scope and meaning have often been m- understood and misrepresented. Decoherence makes a fantastic subject of research, as it touches upon many di?erent facets of physics, from phi- sophically inclined questions of interpretation all the way to down-to-earth problems in experimental settings and engineering applications. This book will introduce the reader, in an accessible and self-contained manner, to these various fascinating aspects of decoherence. It will focus in particularontherelationofdecoherencetotheso-calledquantum-to-classical transition, i. e. , the question of how decoherence may explain the emergence of the classical appearance of the macroscopic world around us from the underlying quantum substrate. Thescopeofthisbookisrelativelybroadinordertofamiliarizethereader withthemanyfacetsofdecoherence,inboththetheoreticalandexperimental domains. Throughout the book, I have sought to maintain a healthy balance betweentheconceptualideasassociatedwiththedecoherenceprogramonthe one hand and the formal and mathematical details on the other hand. This book will establish a proper understanding of decoherence as a pure quantum phenomenon and will emphasize the importance of the correct interpretation of the consequences and achievements of decoherence. |
Contents
Introducing Decoherence | 1 |
Versus Physical Ensembles | 112 |
MasterEquation Formulations of Decoherence | 153 |
Decoherence and Quantum Computing | 293 |
49 | 321 |
The Role of Decoherence in Interpretations | 329 |
Other editions - View all
Decoherence: and the Quantum-To-Classical Transition Maximilian A. Schlosshauer Limited preview - 2007 |
Decoherence: and the Quantum-To-Classical Transition Maximilian A. Schlosshauer No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
ancilla approximation assumption atom Born rule Born-Markov master equation C70 molecules cavity classical coefficients coherence collapse components Cooper-pair box correlations corresponding coupling decoher decoherence decoherence rate density operator derivation described discussed in Sect dissipation double-slit experiment dynamics effects eigenstates encoding energy ensemble entanglement environment environment-induced environmental particles evolution example experiment experimental formalism frequency Gaussian given harmonic oscillator herence Hilbert space Ĥint initial interaction Hamiltonian interference pattern Lett Lindblad macroscopic master equation measurement momentum Neumann observed outcomes phase photons Phys physical pointer position problem ps(t QEMS quantum Brownian motion quantum computer quantum error correction quantum mechanics quantum system qubit system reduced density matrix represented result role scattering Schmidt decomposition Schrödinger self-Hamiltonian spatial spectral density spin spin-boson model spin-environment SQUID superconducting superposition superselection system-environment temperature thermal tion typically unitary wave function wave packets which-path information Wigner Zurek ρε