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Quantum optics

Coherence from spontaneity

The observation of quantum phenomena usually requires utmost control and isolation of a quantum system from its noisy environment. A study now shows how even a spontaneously emitted photon may force an atom into a coherent quantum state.

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Figure 1: Simplified representation of how even the spontaneous emission of a single photon may induce atomic coherence in the presence of a nearby mirror.

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Correspondence to Markus Arndt.

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Arndt, M. Coherence from spontaneity. Nature Phys 7, 375–376 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1987

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