The loss of quantum coherence induced by a Gaussian random potential

S. Boonpana , B. Panacharoensawadb , S. Boonchuia,c,

of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand 10900 of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok,Thailand, 65000 c Center of Excellence in Forum for Theoretical Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok,Thailand 10330
b Department a Department

Abstract We investigate the source of decoherence from a random external potential by the Feynman path integral method. We nd that the o-diagonal elements of the density matrix decay with two characteristic time scales, which are separated by the correlation length. The heavy and light mass cases are demonstrated. Keywords: a Gaussian random potential, Feynman path integral method, decoherence

1. Introduction

2. Eect of disorder on the time evolution of the density matrix Let us consider the Hamiltonian for a quantum particle moving in a 1D Gaussian random potential, H = H0 +V(x), where H0 is the unperturbed Hamiltonian of the interested particle, and V(x) is a superposition of individual scattering potentials, e.g., v(x Rn ). The scattering potential is in the form of a random potential v(x Rn ) = v0 e(xRn ) /l ,
2 2

Quantum decoherence is a proposed mechanism for the emergence of classical physics from quantum mechanics. The coupling of a quantum system to an environment is generally accepted to cause the rapid loss of coherence. The very notion of an open quantum system can be described adequately as a composite system, that consists of two interacting subsystems (the interested system and a thermal bath) that have a large number of degrees of freedom. Several mechanisms of decoherence [1-5] have been discussed. There have been many studies concerning quantum decoherence, e.g., decoherence in quantum Brownian motion at the high temperature limit [6] and at low temperatures [7], a numerical estimation of the decoherence rate, the measurement analysis of the temperaturedependent weak localisation [8], and the eect of the zero-point uctuation of the environment as a source of decoherence [9]. The problems of decoherence induced by the interactions in a disordered system have been of interest for a long time [10-16]. Decoherence induced by the Coulomb interaction in a disordered electron system at the zero temperature is the subject of signicant theoretical debate [10]. Last year, Niimi[15] showed the eect of a random potential on long-range density correlations in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). This problem had been considered to be a quasi-1D simple harmonic oscillator moving in a weak random potential. In this report, we study the characteristics of the decoherence time scale on a simple harmonic particle in 1D moving in disorder. It is assumed that the initial state is a ground state. We shall analyzed the o-diagonal elements of the density matrix in the coordinate representation and the decoherence process of heavy mass and light mass particles.

(1)

where v0 is the strength of the individual scattering potential. The particle is allowed to interact with n identical xed scattering centres. These scattering centres are assumed to be distributed with the probability P(Rn ) = 1/(length). (2)

The statistics of this system are completely random. The mean potential energy and the binary correlation function are dRn P(Rn )V(x) = E0 (3) E[V(x)] =
n

and (4) where is the scattering potential per unit length, L= 2l is the correlation length of the random potential uctuation, and L is the correlation strength, which has the dimension of energy squared, L = v2 L. (5) 0 In eq.(4) according to Luttinger (1976) [18], the average of the Feynman propagator is the evaluated average over all congurations of the scattering centres. In another case, Niimi [15]
December 18, 2011

w(x x ) = E[V(x)V(x )] = L e(xx ) /L ,

2

Corresponding

author. Email address: fscistb@ku.ac.th (S. Boonchui)

Preprint submitted to Physics Letters A

considered the white-noise statistics and assumed the binary correlation in the form E[V(x)] = 0 and E[V(x)V(x ] =

Next, we consider the dynamical of the averaged density matrix (t). We may proceed to nd (t) in the form 1 (t) = 0 (t)exp[ 2 2 where 0 (t) = e
i

(x x ), m2 f
4

(6)

0
i

dt1
0

dt2 W(t1 , t2 )] s

(14)

where f is the mean-free path. However we are interested in the source of decoherence from a random external potential with completely random statistics. The time evolution of the density operator is given by (t) = e
i

H0 t

i (0)e

H0 t

The average O s is dened as O s = dx dy i (x , y ) i Dx DyO[x(t), y(t)]e [S 0 (x)S 0 (y)] . (15) Approximating eq.(14) by the rst cumulant, we obtain [ ] t t 1 dt1 dt2 W(t1 , t2 ) s . (t)=0 (t) exp 2 2 0 0 (16)

Ht

i (0)e

Ht

(7)

where i (0) is the initial density matrix. We need to calculate the averaged (over all random potential congurations) density matrix. Reformulating the problem in the path integral form, the averaged density matrix is obtained by (t) = dx dy J(x, y, t; x , y )i (x , y ), (8) where J(x, y, t; x , y ) is the superpropagator that controls the time evolution of the averaged density matrix which can be written as a the path integral: J(x, y, t; x , y ) = Dx Dy e

[S 0 (x)S 0 (y)]

F[x(t), y(t)].

(9)

where S 0 is the action of the unperturbed particle, and F[x(t), y(t)] is a inuence functional, that is averaged over all random potential congurations, F[x(t), y(t)] is dened to be F[x(t), y(t)] = E[e
i

t
0

V(x(t ))V(y(t ))dt

Eq.(16) shows that dissipation is present because of the correlation function W(t1 , t2 ) , which is dened by eq.(11). Clearly, the averaged density matrix is produced by an exponential factor. We should expect that the spreading of the wave packet, scattering by impurities, and the interference of scattering wave lead to decoherence. Now, we can determine the decoherence time scale d by ext t panding (1/2 2 ) 0 dt1 0 dt2 W(t1 , t2 ) s as a power series. Because this integral is double integral in time, the rst two terms in the power series vanish. Then, we obtain 1 2 2
0 t

].

(10)

dt1
0

Following the perturbation theory and limiting the weakness of the scattering potential, we expand eq.(10) in the form of a Dyson series and keep the lowest-order contribution to the irreducible propagator of F[x(t), y(t)]. We observe that the rst order E[V(x(t )) V(y(t ))] = 0, and the second order W(t1 , t2 ) = E[(V(x(t1 )) V(y(t1 ))) (V(x(t2 )) V(y(t2 )))] (11)

dt2 W(t1 , t2 ) s

t2 . 2 d

(17)

The density matrix in the coordinate representation decreases exponentially and is characterized by exp(t2 /2 ). The characd teristic time for decoherence to occur will be 2 = d 1 1 ( ) W(t1 , t2 ) s |t1 =t2 =0 . 2! 2 2 (18)

= w(x(t1 ) x(t2 )) + w(y(t1 ) y(t2 )) 2w(x(t1 ) y(t2 )).

Next, the inuence functional F[x(t), y(t)] can be written as F[x(t), y(t)] = e 2
1 2

t
0

dt1

t
0

dt2 W(t1 ,t2 )

(12)

This result implies that a wave packet of the quantum particle scattered by the random potential induces coupled trajectories. Now, the time evolution J(x, y, t; x , y ) of the averaged density matrix in eq.(9) becomes t t i 1 Dx Dy e [S 0 (x)S 0 (y)] 2 2 0 dt1 0 dt2 W(t1 ,t2 ) . (13) 2

The average w(x y) s can be conveniently evaluated using a Fourier decomposition of w(x y), dk v(k) eik(xy) (19) w(x y) s = s 2 ( ) [ ] 1 where v(k) = 2 L exp 4 k2 L2 is the Fourier transform of w(x y). The average of the right-hand side of eq.(19) can be expanded to the rst two cumulants, becoming w(x y) s =
k2 dk 2 2 v(k)eikxys 2 [(xy) s xys ] . 2

(20)

To obtain a (t), we must nd the average, w(x y) s , which can be expressed only in terms of the following averages:

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0

exponentially over no single characteristic time scale. We are interested in two asymptotic characteristics of the decoherence. Two analytical asymptotic expressions for the evolution of the o-diagonal density matrix in the coordinate representation are given by Case1:Short-range region, |x y| < L/2, 2 = 22 ( d
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
4

2 d

4.5

xy 2 ) , L

(26)

L/2

Figure 1: Plot of the decoherence time scale corresponding to the matrix elements given by eq.(25). The critical value of = L/2 splits the decay rate

where 2 = L / 2 , Case2:Long-range region, |x y| > L/2, 2 d = (1

2

into two regions.

x () and x()x() s . Such averages can be obtained from s a characteristic functional i t G0 [J, J ] = e 0 d{J()x()J ()y()} . (21)
2 s

1 L ). 2 |x y|

(27)

From Feynman and Hibbs [21-22], the averages x()x() s and x()y() s can be obtained in the following forms: x()x() s = [ ] (i ) (i ) G0 [J, J ] /G0 [J, J ] (22) J() J() =0 J,J and x()y() s = [ ] (i ) (i ) G0 [J, J ] /G0 [J, J ]. J() J () J,J =0 3. Decoherence time scale To determine the decoherence time scale, we should apply the formula given in eq.(18) to a single harmonic oscillator of mass m and frequency moving in disorder. Let us assume that the initial density matrix of the harmonic oscillator is in its ground state energy, i.e., 0 (x, y; t) = ( m 1/2 m (x2 +y2 ) ) e 2 . (24)

(23)

From eqs.(18)-(23), we obtain the decoherence time scale ( ( )2 )1/2 ( ) L 1 1 + 2 x y . 2 (25) d = 2 L The decoherence time scale due to the Gaussian random potential disorder depends on the coherence length per correlation length. In order to analyse the decoherence time scale, we plot the function given by eq.(25) against the coherence length of system, = |x y|. The curve in Fig.(1) appear to be concave from = 0 to = L/2 (the critical points ). For > L/2 , the curve is concave down. The o-diagonal element, for which > L/2, disappears faster than the region 0 < < L/2. The time evolution of the o-diagonal initial density matrix, with the Gaussian wave packet, eq.(24), separated by a distance decreases 3

From eqs.(26)-(27), considered asymptotically, there are two regions with dierent decoherence rates. The loss of quantum coherence is induced by the interference of waves scattered by a Gaussian random potential. Wherever the correlation length L is much larger than the coherence length , or the particle is localised (with short range scattering, < L), the scattering occurs as a result of nearest-neighbour interactions. The quantum particle recognize only the nearest-neighbour random potentials. We anticipate that the signicant interference leading to this decoherence is caused by a large number of scattering events. However, for > L/2, the long-wavelength is the main cause of the decoherence. This eect occurs because the waveparticle can scatter with each random potential, even though it is far from the source of the potential(the long wave scattering > L). Thus, the decay rate in this region is higher than that in the another region. Next, we show numerical results that agree with the above discussion. As an example, we compare the breakdown of coherence in 2 cases: i) a heavy mass and ii) a light mass. If the harmonic motion particle has a very large mass, the wave packet is narrow in space. In this case, short wavelength scattering is the main cause of decoherence. In the other case, the light mass has a wave packet that spreads out. The coherence of this density matrix decays asymptotically with two characteristics, but the phenomenon of decoherence is traditionally studied through the interaction of a quantum particle with its environment(quantum Brownian motion). Such a traditional study gives the single characteristic result of |x y|2 , as in Refs.[2],[6], [10]. To visualise this decrease, we plot the magnitude of the state operator matrix elements on a plane in Fig. 2. The decohering simple harmonic oscillators with light and heavy masses are initially in their ground states. In each diagram, the shade region represents the Gaussian wave. The peak is at the darkest region. The peak is reduced, and the wave spreads out as time progresses. By way of analogy with eq.(16), the o-diagonal elements decrease. The two dashed lines are curves of the equation y = xL/2. In Fig. 2(a), the components of the density matrix(of the light mass particle) rapidly decay from their initial values in the interval time (0, 5). In contrast, in Fig.2(b), shows the components of the density matrix(for the heavy mass particle), which scarcely decrease in the interval time (0, 5).

1x 10 0.5 0 0.5

(a) t = 0.1 ,m = m e

(b) x 10 6 5 4
8

x 10 t = 0.1, m = 20 m e x 10 1 2.5 2 0.5 0 1.5 1 0.5 0 0.5 1 9 x 10

9

1 1 0.5

0.5

1 9 x 10

3 0.5 2 1 1 0.5
8 9

9 t = 2 ,m = m e 1 x 10

0.5 0 0.5 1 1 0.5

9

x 10 x 10 t = 2, m = 20 m e x 10 1 2.5 6 5 2 0.5 4 1.5 3 0 1 2 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 0 1 9 0.5 0.5 1 9 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 t = 5, m = 20 m e x 1 6 5 0.5 4 3 0 2 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 9 1 0.5 0 0.5 1 9 x 10 x 10
8 9

two time scale rates corresponding to eqs.(26)-(27). This result can be interpreted to indicate that decoherence occurs because of interaction contribution from both short and long wavelength scatterings. This result means that the wave-particle is able to scatter with each random potential, even though it is far from it. Finally, we can conclude that the scattering-induced decoherence is caused by both long and short wavelength scattering. The specic eect depends on the magnitude of the coherence length. Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank KURDI and the Graduate School of Kasetsart University for partial support. References [1] A.Stern, Y. Aharnov, and Y. Imry, Phys. Rev. A 41 (1990) 3436. [2] W.H.Zurek, Phys. Today, 44 (1991) 36. [3] D.S.Golubev, and A. D. Zaikin, Physica B 225 (1998) 164. [4] R.F.OConnell, and J. Zuo, Phys. Rev. A 67 (2003) 062107. [5] T.Grotz, L.Heaney, and W.T.Strunz, Phys. Rev. A 74 (2006) 022102. [6] W.H.Zurek, Rev. Mod. Phys. 75 (2003) 715. [7] S.Sinha, Phys. Lett. A 228 (1997) 1. [8] P.Mohanty, Physica B 280 (2000) 446 [9] D.S.Golubev, and A.D.Zaikin, Phys. Rev. B 59 (1999) 9195. [10] F.C.Lombardo, and P.I.Villar, Phys. Lett. A 336 (2005) 16. [11] X.R.Wang, G.Xiong, and S.D. Wang, Phys.Rev.B 61 (2000) R5090. [12] M.R.Gallis, Phys. Rev. A 45 (1992) 47. [13] D.S.Golubev, and A.D.Zaikin, Phys. Rev. lett. 81 (1998) 1074. [14] J.V.Delft, J.Phys Soc. Jpn. 72 (2003) 24. [15] Y.Niimi et al, Phys. Rev. lett. 102 (2009) 226801. [16] Y.Niimi et al, Phys. Rev. B 81 (2010) 245306. [17] N.Cherroret, and S.E. Skipetrov, Phys.Rev.lett. 101 (2008) 190406. [18] J.M.Luttinger, Phys. Rev. B 13 (1976) 2596. [19] R.P.Feynman and F.L.Vernon, Ann. Phys. (NY) 24 (1963) 118. [20] V.Sa-yakanit, Ph.Roussignal and G.Slavcheva, Phys. Rev. B 62 (2000) 5079. [21] R.P.Feynman and A.R.Hibbs, Quantum mechanics and Path Integrals, Mc. Graw Hill, New York, 1965. [22] V.Sa-yakanit, J.Phys. C 7 (1974) 2849.

t = 5 ,m = me 1 x 10 0.5 0 0.5 1 1 0.5 0

10 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5

Figure 2: Plot decays of the o-diagonal elements of the density matrix at dierent values of mass a) m1 = me , b) m2 = 20me (all plots are at = 104 nm1 L = 1 nm , E0 = 1 eV, L = 106 (eV)2 and = 4.97 1014 s ) . Two dashed lines divide the region into short and long-range regions. Between the dashed lines is the short-range region, and the remaining area is the long-range region.

4. Conclusions The path integral technique is applied to calculate the time evolution of the density matrix of the harmonic oscillator particle (1D) moving in a disordered Gaussian random potential. In the approximation that we neglected multiple scattering, we obtained the impurity-averaged density matrix by tying together all the potential vertices pairwise. The asymptotic form of the decoherence time scale was considered. The characteristic of the decoherence time scale was studied. From the plot of the decoherence time scale as a function of the coherence length, varying within the interval between(0, and 10 nm), there are lines representing the critical value, which split the decoherence time scale into two characteristics, i.e., the short-range region and the long-range region, in comparison with the correlation length. In the rst case, the short wavelength scattering induces decoherence. Scattering would occur by the nearest-neighbour interaction. The signicant interference leading to decoherence comes from a large number of scattering events. In the second case, the long wavelength scattering is the main eect that destroys the coherence. The analysis of the decrease of the magnitude of the density matrix in the cases of the heavy and the light particles is introduced. For the heavy particle, the initial density matrix is localised in the short-range region. It can be seen from Fig.2(b) that the decrease of the o-diagonal matrix elements is caused by short wavelength-scattering. In Fig.2(a), for the light particle, the decoherence eect can be explicitly characterised by 4