Quest for quantum superpositions of a mirror: High and moderately low temperatures
Date: 2006
MTMT: 1189127
WoS ID: 000243414600004
Scopus ID: 33845769361
Abstract:
The Born-Markov master equation analysis of the vibrating mirror
and
photon experiment proposed by Marshall, Simon, Penrose, and
Bouwmeester
is completed by including the important issues of temperature
and
friction. We find that at the level of cooling available to
date,
visibility revivals are purely classical, and no quantum effect
can be
detected by the setup, no matter how strong the photon-mirror
coupling
is. Checking proposals of universal nonenvironmental decoherence
is
ruled out by dominating thermal decoherence; a conjectured
coordinate-diffusion contribution to decoherence may become
observable
on reaching moderately low temperatures.