Effect of a finite-time resolution on Schrödinger cat states in complex collisions

We study the effect of finite-time resolution on coherent superpositions of clockwise and anticlockwise rotating wave packets in the regime of strongly overlapping resonances of the intermediate complex. Such highly excited deformed complexes may be created in binary collisions of heavy-ions, molecules and atomic clusters. It is shown that time averaging reduces the interference fringes acting effectively as dephasing. We propose a simple estimate of the “critical” time averaging interval. For the time averaging intervals bigger than the critical one the interference fringes wash out appreciably. This is confirmed numerically. We evaluate minimal energy intervals for measurements of the excitation functions needed to observe the Schrödinger cat states. These should be easily observable in heavy-ion scattering. Such an experiment is suggested.  2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 03.65.-w; 25.70.Bc; 36.40.-c