Recoherence by Squeezed States in Electron Interferometry

TL;DR

This paper explores how squeezed states of the electromagnetic field can reduce electron decoherence in interferometry, potentially enabling observable recoherence effects within quantum bounds.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of recoherence via squeezed states in electron interferometry and establishes bounds similar to quantum inequalities on this effect.

Findings

Recoherence can be achieved with squeezed electromagnetic states.

Bounds on recoherence are analogous to quantum inequalities.

Recoherence effects, though small, may be experimentally observable.

Abstract

Coherent electrons coupled to the quantized electromagnetic field undergo decoherence which can be viewed as due either to fluctuations of the Aharonov-Bohm phase or to photon emission. When the electromagnetic field is in a squeezed vacuum state, it is possible for this decoherence to be reduced, leading to the phenomenon of recoherence. This recoherence effect requires electrons which are emitted at selected times during the cycle of the excited mode of the electromagnetic field. We show that there are bounds on the degree of recoherence which are analogous to quantum inequality restriction on negative energy densities in quantum field theory. We make some estimates of the degree of recoherence, and show that although small, it may be observable.