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arXiv:quant-ph/0009044 · Physical Review Letters

From Single- to Multiple-Photon Decoherence in an Atom Interferometer

David A. Kokorowski, Alexander D. Cronin, Tony Roberts, David E. Pritchard

Published Mar 12, 2001• 105 citations
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Abstract

We measure the decoherence of a spatially separated atomic superposition due to spontaneous photon scattering. We observe a qualitative change in decoherence versus separation as the number of scattered photons increases, and verify quantitatively the decoherence rate constant in the many-photon limit. Our results illustrate an evolution of decoherence consistent with general models developed for a broad class of decoherence phenomena.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.86.2191

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