Observing the Progressive Decoherence of the ``Meter'' in a Quantum Measurement
Abstract
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 field trapped in a high Q microwave cavity. The mesoscopic superposition was the equivalent of an `` atom+measuring apparatus'' system in which the ``meter'' was pointing simultaneously towards two different directions-a ``Schrödinger cat.'' 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.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- December 1996
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.4887
- Bibcode:
- 1996PhRvL..77.4887B