2004/05/07 by M. Chianello, M. Tumminello, Michele Tumminello +3 · 5 citations
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum optics and atomic interactions #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreva.69.053403
published as Phys. Rev. A 69, 053403 (2004) · 7 pages, 3 figures
openalex publication_date 2004/05/07 · arxiv created 2005/02/11 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In the optical Stern-Gerlach effect the two branches in which the incoming atomic packet splits up can display interference pattern outside the cavity when a field measurement is made which erases the which-way information on the quantum paths the system can follow. On the contrary, the mere possibility to acquire this information causes a decoherence effect which cancels out the interference pattern. A phase-space analysis is also carried out to investigate on the negativity of the Wigner function and on the connection between its covariance matrix and the distinguishability of the quantum paths.