Photon scattering from atoms in an atom interferometer: Coherence lost and regained.

摘要: Loss of coherence in one system A that results from entanglement or correlation with a reservoir M has long been an important issue quantum mechanics. It is special interest both because the difficulty incorporating resulting loss into Schrodinger’s equation describing and its relevance to understanding measurement process particular connection between mechanics classical general [1]. We discuss experiments here which this elastic scattering photon atom initially state extended spatial inside interferometer. The major issues addressed are degree (ie. contrast interference fringes), when outgoing ignored treated as reservoir) information about final inferred momentum atom. This inference exact since (and energy too) conserved initial well specified.