Abstract Considering a system in which a single photon and a coherent field propagate through a Kerr medium, when the weak cross-Kerr interaction between the coherent state and the single photon under decoherence is involved, this paper derives analytically a macroscopic superposition state by the superoperator method and investigates the influences of decoherence on the coherence properties of the obtained state. It finds that the macroscopic superposition state will experience evolution from a pure superposition state to a mixed state in a dissipative environment and the Kerr effect makes the field display a periodic revival from decoherence for a short time.
Accepted manuscript online:
PACS:
42.65.Hw
(Phase conjugation; photorefractive and Kerr effects)
(Optical transient phenomena: quantum beats, photon echo, free-induction decay, dephasings and revivals, optical nutation, and self-induced transparency)
Fund: Project
supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
No 60478049) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province,
China (Grant No 2006 ABB015).
Cite this article:
Wu Shao-Ping(吴少平), Zhang Li-Juan(张丽娟), and Li Gao-Xiang(李高翔) Influences of decoherence on the generation of a macroscopic superposition state using weak cross-Kerr effect 2008 Chin. Phys. B 17 185
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