Effective dissipative dynamics for polarized photons - art. no. 125009

In the framework of open quantum systems, the propagation of polarized phot ons can be effectively described using quantum dynamical semigroups. These extended time evolutions induce irreversibility and dissipation. Planned, h igh sensitive experiments, both in the laboratory and in space, will be abl e to put stringent bounds on these nonstandard effects.