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Cover Picture: Fortschritte der Physik 10 / 2013
Author(s) -
Luis ÁlvarezGaumé,
Geneva Braunstein,
Dieter Lüst,
Luis ÁlvarezGaumé,
Heslington Greenberger,
York Kounnas,
Geneva Louis,
Hamburg Staudacher
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fortschritte der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.469
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1521-3978
pISSN - 0015-8208
DOI - 10.1002/prop.201370075
Subject(s) - mesoscopic physics , superposition principle , cover (algebra) , physics , quantum decoherence , quantum mechanics , amplitude , field (mathematics) , state (computer science) , quantum , mathematics , algorithm , pure mathematics , mechanical engineering , engineering
The cover page shows snapshots of a decaying Schrödinger cat Wigner function. This is a quasi‐probability distribution for the amplitude of a microwave field stored in an ultra‐high quality superconducting cavity. A single circular Rydberg atom interacting with a coherent state produces a quantum superposition of two fields with different phases. The two positive peaks in the Wigner function (front) are centered on the classical amplitudes of these components. The interference pattern in‐between indicates the quantum nature of the superposition. As time proceeds (from front to rear), the interference pattern vanishes, revealing the rapid decoherence of a mesoscopic quantum state superposition.