Published April 2004 | Version v1
Journal article

Decoherence in a two-particle model

  • 1. Dipartimento di Matematica Pura e Applicata, Universita di L'Aquila, L'Aquila (Italy)
  • 2. Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universita di Napoli, Naples (Italy)
  • 3. Mathematisches Institut, Universitaet Muenchen, Munich (Germany)

Description

We consider a simple one-dimensional quantum system consisting of a heavy and a light particle interacting via a point interaction. The initial state is chosen to be a product state, with the heavy particle described by a coherent superposition of two spatially separated wave packets with opposite momentum and the light particle localized in the region between the two wave packets. We characterize the asymptotic dynamics of the system in the limit of small mass ratio, with an explicit control of the error. We derive the corresponding reduced density matrix for the heavy particle and explicitly compute the (partial) decoherence effect for the heavy particle induced by the presence of the light one for a particular set up of the parameters

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Mathematical Physics
Journal Volume
45
Journal Issue
4
Journal Page Range
p. 1291-1309
ISSN
0022-2488
CODEN
JMAPAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
36002562
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
DENSITY MATRIX; ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; PARTICLE MODELS; QUANTUM MECHANICS; SCHROEDINGER EQUATION; WAVE PACKETS
Descriptors DEC
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; EQUATIONS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; MATRICES; MECHANICS; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; WAVE EQUATIONS

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.