Geometric phase in open systems.
We calculate the geometric phase associated with the evolution of a system subjected to decoherence through a quantum-jump approach. The method is general and can be applied to many different physical systems. As examples, two main sources of decoherence are considered: dephasing and spontaneous decay. We show that the geometric phase is completely insensitive to the former, i.e., it is independent of the number of jumps determined by the dephasing operator.
Optics Section, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom.
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Carollo
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Fuentes-Guridi
M França
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Santos
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Vedral