A precision test of decoherence

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the interaction between a charged particle and a conducting plate causes decoherence, which can be experimentally tuned to explore the quantum-to-classical transition.

Contribution

It provides a precision test of decoherence effects due to image currents, demonstrating adjustable decoherence strength via particle beam height.

Findings

Decoherence strength varies with particle beam height.

Interference patterns reveal decoherence effects.

The method allows probing the quantum-classical boundary.

Abstract

The motion of a charged particle over a conducting plate is damped by Ohmic resistance to image currents. This interaction between the particle and the plate must also produce decoherence, which can be detected by examining interference patterns made by diffracted particle beams which have passed over the plate. Because the current densities within the plate decay rapidly with the height of the particle beam above it, the strength of decoherence should be adjustable across a wide range, allowing one to probe the full range of quantum through classical behaviour.