English

Temperature of a Decoherent Oscillator with Strong Coupling

Quantum Physics 2015-05-30 v1

Abstract

The temperature of an oscillator coupled to the vacuum state of a heat bath via ohmic coupling is non-zero, as measured by the reduced density matrix of the oscillator. This paper shows that the actual temperature, as measured by a thermometer is still zero (or in the thermal state of the bath, the temperature of the bath). The decoherence temperature is due to "false-decoherence", with the heat bath state being dragged along with the oscillator.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1110.2217,
  title  = {Temperature of a Decoherent Oscillator with Strong Coupling},
  author = {William G. Unruh},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1110.2217},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

6 pages