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Coherence Time

Figuratively, the time it takes for a quantum state to be subject to energy decay or dephasing, limits the operation fidelity on the qudits involved.

Quantum

Full Definition

Decoherence is a specific form of noise. The decoherence time \(t_Q\) is the time in which a quantum system loses its coherence1.

Examples

In nuclear spin systems there are two major sources of decoherence1:

  • \(T_1\) spin-lattice/longitudinal relaxation
  • \(T_2\) spin-spin/transverse relaxation

Both are associated with a different point in time \(t\). At \(T_1=t\), the net magnetization of a physical system is at 63% of its maximum value. At \(T_2=t\), the transverse magnetization of a physical system is at 37% of its initial value. For a detailed explanation see: T1 and T2

Figuratively speaking \(T_1\)-time, describes the probability of a qubit still being in \(\ket{1}\) after the time \(t\) and the \(T_2\)-time describes the probability of a qubit still being in \(\ket{+}\) after the time \(t\).

Sources

  1. Nielsen, Michael A., and Isaac Chuang. 2002 Quantum computation and quantum information.