New bases for a general definition for the moving preferred basis

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new, pole-based method to define the moving preferred basis in environment-induced decoherence, providing a unified approach to relaxation and decoherence times, demonstrated through the Omnes model.

Contribution

It introduces a pole analysis approach to define the moving preferred basis and related decoherence concepts in a general, simplified manner.

Findings

Pole analysis yields a general definition of decoherence times

Application to the Omnes model validates the approach

Provides a unified framework for relaxation and decoherence concepts

Abstract

One of the challenges of the Environment-Induced Decoherence (EID) approach is to provide a simple general definition of the moving pointer basis or moving preferred basis. In this letter we prove that the study of the poles that produce the decaying modes in non-unitary evolution, could yield a general definition of the relaxation, the decoherence times, and the moving preferred basis. These probably are the most important concepts in the theory of decoherence, one of the most relevant chapters of theoretical (and also practical) quantum mechanics. As an example we solved the Omnes (or Lee-Friedrich) model using our theory.