Decoherence rate expression due to air molecule scattering in spatial qubits

Abstract

We provide a solution for decoherence in spatial superpositions due to scattering/collision with air molecules. This result reproduces the short- and long-wavelength limits known in the literature. We compare the decoherence rate with several existing interpolations in the literature and evaluate the decoherence rate and experimental parameters when creating macroscopic quantum spatial superpositions (i.e., micron-size spheres). Finally, we consider the decoherence rate's time dependence while creating and closing the spatial superposition in an interferometer setup.