http://arxiv.org/abs/1812.08760
We consider the impact of a weakly-coupled environment comprising a light scalar field on the open dynamics of a quantum test mass. The light scalar is assumed to couple to matter either through a non-minimal coupling to gravity or, equivalently, through a Higgs portal. We introduce a novel approach for deriving the quantum master equation describing the evolution of the single-particle matrix element of the density operator from first-principles. Our approach draws on techniques of non-equilibrium quantum field theory, including the Feynman-Vernon influence functional and thermo-field dynamics, as well as a method of LSZ-like reduction. In addition, we show that non-Markovian effects, namely the violation of time-translational invariance due to finite-time effects, require us to introduce time-local counterterms in order to renormalize the resulting loop corrections consistently. This complementary and robust approach provides quantitative predictions and has the potential to shed new light on, for example, the divergences encountered in the context of gravitationally induced decoherence in general relativity. The resulting master equation features corrections to the coherent dynamics, as well as decoherence and momentum diffusion. We comment on the possibilities for experimental detection and the related challenges, and highlight possible pathways for further improvements.
C. Burrage, C. Käding, P. Millington, et. al.
Mon, 24 Dec 18
31/47
Comments: 36 pages, 13 figures, revtex format, JHEP bibliography style; Comments are welcome