Experimental Test of Decoherence Theory using Electron Matter Waves

TL;DR

This paper experimentally investigates how free electrons lose quantum coherence when interacting with different materials, providing evidence supporting decoherence theory and highlighting the transition from quantum to classical behavior.

Contribution

It presents the first sensitive experimental test of decoherence theory using electron matter waves interacting with semiconducting and metallic plates.

Findings

Results align with decoherence theory predictions

Rules out Coulomb interaction models in favor of plasmonic excitation models

Demonstrates sensitivity to the onset of decoherence

Abstract

A controlled decoherence environment is studied experimentally by free electron interaction with semiconducting and metallic plates. The results are compared with physical models based on decoherence theory to investigate the quantum-classical transition. The experiment is consistent with decoherence theory and rules out established Coulomb interaction models in favor of plasmonic excitation models. In contrast to previous decoherence experiments, the present experiment is sensitive to the onset of decoherence.