Quantum Instabilities and Decoherence Problem

Abstract

A decoherence problem is discussed by means of quantum continuous measurement theory. It is shown that the conditional state of quantum system interacting with a bath preserves its initial purity. In this presentation decoherence arises as a result of averaging over the stochastic times of reduction moments ("clicks"). A method based on external phase feedback is proposed to slow down the decoherence of field superposition state in an open optical cavity. It is also shown that an atom placed inside the optical cavity plays a role of internal self-organized positive feedback between field and atom, which leads to an exponential increase in the mean dipole moment of the atom for the field initially prepared in a superposition of coherent states, i.e. to quantum instability.