Photon vs other fundamental particles - decoherence

[San K]

1. What (property) makes a photon less likely to decohere/(entangle with the environment) relative to other "fundamental" particles (non leptons?) such as an electron?...say during single particle interference experiment

Photon single particle interference can done without the need for a vacuum.



2 Which other "fundamental" particles can show interference (easily) without having to create a vacuum?

 

[vanhees71]

Photons are interacting only electromagnetically, which is a pretty weak interaction, and the surrounding matter in our labs is (nearly) electrically neutral. So it's pretty easy to keep a photon nearly free, i.e., not undergoing interactions with surrounding matter.

 

[San K]

Photons are interacting only electromagnetically, which is a pretty weak interaction, and the surrounding matter in our labs is (nearly) electrically neutral. So it's pretty easy to keep a photon nearly free, i.e., not undergoing interactions with surrounding matter.

Thanks vanhees.

So besides electromagnetic what other (not so weak) interaction does an electron have? (That a photon doesn't)

When we keep a photon nearly free - is the photon assumed entangled with itself?

 

[Nugatory]

Thanks vanhees.

So besides electromagnetic what other (not so weak) interaction does an electron have? (That a photon doesn't)

When we keep a photon nearly free - is the photon assumed entangled with itself?

The photon is neutral, while the electron is charged - thus even the electromagnetic interactions of the electron are stronger.

As a practical matter, photon sources are also easier to set up and manage than electron sources.

 

[audioloop]

1. What (property) makes a photon less likely to decohere/(entangle with the environment)

and/or more prone to deco/entaspin orientation.
.