Frictional quantum decoherence

TL;DR

This paper investigates the dynamics of quantum Brownian motion under measurement-based master equations, analyzing how dissipation and decoherence evolve from various initial states, including Gaussian and Schrödinger cat states.

Contribution

It introduces a scheme for deriving time evolution from general initial conditions and examines the effects of diffusive terms on decoherence in coordinate and momentum spaces.

Findings

Decoherence depends on diffusive terms in the master equation.

The scheme allows analysis from arbitrary initial states.

Dissipation influences the evolution of quantum states.

Abstract

The dynamics associated with a measurement-based master equation for quantum Brownian motion are investigated. A scheme for obtaining time evolution from general initial conditions is derived. This is applied to analyze dissipation and decoherence in the evolution of both a Gaussian and a Schr\"{o}dinger cat initial state. Dependence on the diffusive terms present in the master equation is discussed with reference to both the coordinate and momentum representations.