Demystifier said:First of all, reaching a definite state is NOT called decoherence.
A citation from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoherence :Galteeth said:I have been confused by wikipedia.
Demystifier said:A citation from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoherence :
"Decoherence does not generate actual wave function collapse. It only provides an explanation for the appearance of wavefunction collapse. ... Moreover, our observation tells us that this mixture looks like a proper quantum ensemble in a measurement situation, as we observe that measurements lead to the "realization" of precicely one state in the "ensemble". But within the framework of the interpretation of quantum mechanics, decoherence cannot explain this crucial step from an apparent mixture to the existence and/or perception of single outcomes."
Decoherence is a process in quantum mechanics where a quantum system becomes entangled with its surrounding environment, causing the superposition of its quantum states to collapse into a single classical state.
In traditional measurement, the act of observing a quantum system causes it to collapse into a single state. In decoherence, the environment plays a role in collapsing the superposition, making it appear as if the system is being measured without any direct observation.
Decoherence is a major challenge in quantum computing because it can cause errors in the calculations being performed. It is important for researchers to find ways to mitigate or control decoherence in order for quantum computers to be successful.
Some theories suggest that decoherence is responsible for the branching of parallel universes, as each possible outcome of a quantum measurement becomes a separate universe. However, this is still a highly debated topic and there is no conclusive evidence for the existence of parallel universes.
Decoherence has potential applications in fields such as quantum information processing, quantum cryptography, and quantum metrology. It can also be used to study the boundary between classical and quantum systems and to better understand the behavior of complex systems.