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Emergence of Classical Radiation Fields through Decoherence in the Scully-Lamb Laser Model

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Abstract

The quantum theory of the laser of Scully and Lamb is used to determine the longest-lived states of the quantized field in an idealized, single-mode laser cavity. It is shown that quasiclassical states (states with well-defined phase and amplitude) are naturally selected. A quantum trajectory analysis provides some insight as to why this is so.

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Gea-Banacloche, J. Emergence of Classical Radiation Fields through Decoherence in the Scully-Lamb Laser Model. Foundations of Physics 28, 531–548 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018729904161

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