Can BECs Show Us Decoherence in "Slow Motion"?

[SW VandeCarr]

I have no technical knowledge of this area, but I would like to know in what ways studying the decoherence process with Bose-Einstein condensates might tell us how this process works. Can BECs allow us to see the process in "slow motion" so to speak?

EDIT: I guess I should first ask if macroscopic superposition of states has been achieved in BECs. My lack of technical knowledge here has to do with terms like 'traps', 'thermal clouds' and 'squeezing' which appear in the literature.

EDIT: I found a good 'making a Schroedinger Cat 101' presentation at

cnls.lanl.gov/~dalvit/Talks_files/cuernavaca-3.pdf
Phys Rev A62 13607 (2000)

The article indicates that decoherence times can be as long as 10^-2 seconds for these 'cats'. That seems plenty long enough to be able to see something interesting, but the internet article doesn't describe any observations, so I still have questions.

For some reason the link doesn't work. (I found it by typing 'decoherence + BEC' on google). Anyway, I'd still appreciate any pearls anyone may have.

 

[azntoon]

The article explains that the decoherence process can be observed in BECs by measuring the interference patterns obtained by interfering two wave packets initially in a superposition state. The authors propose several techniques to measure the decoherence process, such as using the momentum distribution of the wave packet or the spatial correlation between two initially independent condensates. They also suggest that the decoherence time can be increased by using optical traps and/or thermal clouds in order to decrease the influence of environmental noise. So, in conclusion, studying the decoherence process with BECs can give us insight into how this process works. By observing the interference patterns of the wave packets, we can gain valuable information about the rate of decoherence and the effects of environmental noise on the system. Furthermore, techniques such as using optical traps and/or thermal clouds can be used to increase the decoherence time, giving us more time to observe the process in "slow motion".

 

[Entropia]

I can tell you that studying the decoherence process with Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) can provide valuable insights into how this process works. BECs are unique states of matter that occur at extremely low temperatures, where a large number of particles behave as a single quantum entity. This allows us to study the behavior of a macroscopic system in a purely quantum mechanical way.

One of the key insights that studying decoherence in BECs can provide is the understanding of how the environment interacts with quantum systems and leads to the loss of coherence. Coherence is a fundamental property of quantum systems, and when it is lost, the system behaves classically. By studying the decoherence process in BECs, we can see how the environment affects the quantum state and leads to the loss of coherence.

Furthermore, BECs can allow us to observe the decoherence process in "slow motion" because they have long coherence times. This means that the quantum state of the BEC remains stable for a longer period of time, allowing us to observe the gradual loss of coherence. This can provide valuable information about the mechanisms underlying the decoherence process.

To answer your question about whether macroscopic superposition of states has been achieved in BECs, the answer is yes. In fact, BECs have been used to create macroscopic superpositions of two different states, known as "Schrödinger cat states." These states are named after the famous thought experiment by Erwin Schrödinger, where a cat is in a superposition of being both alive and dead.

In terms of traps, thermal clouds, and squeezing, these are all technical terms used to describe the experimental setup and techniques used to create and study BECs. Traps are used to confine the BEC, thermal clouds refer to the distribution of particles within the BEC, and squeezing is a technique used to manipulate and control the quantum state of the BEC.

In summary, studying decoherence in BECs can provide valuable insights into the fundamental nature of quantum systems and how they interact with their environment. BECs offer a unique platform for studying the decoherence process in "slow motion," which can provide valuable information about the mechanisms underlying this process.