Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 160401 (2003) [4 pages]Collisional Decoherence Observed in Matter Wave InterferometryReceived 7 October 2002; published 22 April 2003 We study the loss of spatial coherence in the extended wave function of fullerenes due to collisions with background gases. From the gradual suppression of quantum interference with increasing gas pressure we are able to support quantitatively both the predictions of decoherence theory and our picture of the interaction process. We thus explore the practical limits of matter wave interferometry at finite gas pressures and estimate the required experimental vacuum conditions for interferometry with even larger objects. © 2003 The American Physical Society URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.160401
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.160401
PACS:
03.75.–b, 03.65.Yz, 39.20.+q
|
|
About | Terms and Conditions | Subscriptions | Search | Help
Use of the American Physical Society websites and journals implies that the user has read and agrees to our Terms and Conditions and any applicable Subscription Agreement. Physical Review®, Physical Review Letters®, Reviews of Modern Physics®, and Physical Review Special Topics® are trademarks of the American Physical Society.