Bloch Sphere Decoherence

T₁ relaxation · T_φ pure dephasing · T₂ total coherence time (μs)

Parameters
T₁ 100 μs
T_φ 300 μs
T₂ = 120.0 μs
Limit: T₂ ≤ 2T₁ = 200.0 μs   ✓ physical
T₂ = 1 / (1/(2T₁) + 1/T_φ)
Platform Presets
T₁=100 μs, T₂=120 μs (T_φ=300 μs)
Time Animation
t = 0.0 μs
t 0→5T₂
Drag or press Play to animate trajectory
Bloch Vector at t
Bx =
By =
Bz =
|B| =
Purity Tr(ρ²) =
Bloch Sphere
Trajectory
Current state
Bloch Component Decay vs Time
Bx(t) — decay rate 1/T₂
By(t) — decay rate 1/T₂
Bz(t) — decay rate 1/T₁
Purity Tr(ρ²) vs Time
Physics Notes
Bloch equations (infinite-temperature bath, Bz_eq=0):
dBx/dt = −Bx/T₂  |  dBy/dt = −By/T₂  |  dBz/dt = −Bz/T₁

Constraint: 1/T₂ = 1/(2T₁) + 1/T_φ — so T₂ ≤ 2T₁ always.
T₂ equals 2T₁ only when T_φ → ∞ (no pure dephasing).

Initial state: |θ=60°, φ=45°⟩  →  Bx₀=By₀=√6/4≈0.612, Bz₀=0.5
Shows spiral inward: faster transverse (T₂) vs longitudinal (T₁) decay.

Purity: Tr(ρ²) = (1+|B|²)/2. Pure state=1.0; fully mixed=0.5.

Physics checks: P1 (T_φ→∞ ⟹ T₂→2T₁): —  |  P2 (T₁→∞ ⟹ Bz const): —  |  P3 (t=5T₂ nearly mixed): —