qm01 Excitation of large-amplitude coherent optical phonons

Quantum decoherence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_decoherence

In quantum mechanics, quantum decoherence is the loss of coherence or ordering of the phase angles between the components of a system in a quantum superposition.


Excitation of large-amplitude coherent optical phonons

gives rise to a periodic modulation of the X-ray diffraction

efficiency. Stronger excitation corresponding to atomic displacements

exceeding 10 per cent of the nearest-neighbour distance

—

near

the Lindemann limit

—

leads to a subsequent loss of

long-range order, which is most probably due to melting of the

material.http://www.exp.physik.uni-due.de/bovensiepen/Publikationen/Sokolowski03Nat422_287.pdf