Abstract
The Comment by Mayers and Reiter criticizes our work on two counts. Firstly, it is claimed that the quantum decoherence effects that we report in consequence of our experimental analysis of neutron Compton scattering from H in gaseous H2 are not, as we maintain, outside the framework of conventional neutron scattering theory. Secondly, it is claimed that we did not really observe such effects, owing to a faulty analysis of the experimental data, which are claimed to be in agreement with conventional theory. We focus in this response on the critical issue of the reliability of our experimental results and analysis. Using the same standard Vesuvio instrument programs used by Mayers et al., we show that, if the experimental results for H in gaseous H2 are in agreement with conventional theory, then those for D in gaseous D2 obtained in the same way cannot be, and vice-versa. We expose a flaw in the calibration methodology used by Mayers et al. that leads to the present disagreement over the behaviour of H, namely the ad hoc adjustment of the measured H peak positions in TOF during the calibration of Vesuvio so that agreement is obtained with the expectation of conventional theory. We briefly address the question of the necessity to apply the theory of open quantum systems.
Highlights
The main claim of the Comment by Mayers and Reiter is that the data obtained in our original paper,[1] if analysed using the standard Vesuvio instrument programs, are in “very good agreement with conventional theory.”[2]. Mayers and Reiter propose that the new quantum decoherence effect that we claim to have measured[1] is “almost certainly a spurious consequence of errors in the data analysis.”[2]
We show that the standard Vesuvio instrument programs produce an anomalous result for D in consequence of the “very good agreement with conventional theory” for H
Mayers and Reiter claim[2] that our observation[1] of a shift to positive y values of the H recoil peak is wrong owing to faulty data analysis
Summary
The main claim of the Comment by Mayers and Reiter is that the data obtained in our original paper,[1] if analysed using the standard Vesuvio instrument programs, are in “very good agreement with conventional theory.”[2] Mayers and Reiter propose that the new quantum decoherence effect that we claim to have measured[1] is “almost certainly a spurious consequence of errors in the data analysis.”[2]. An additional criticism[2] concerns theoretical issues of the quantum dynamics of scattering from open quantum systems, based on the authors’ belief that standard theory (Ref. 3 is advocated here) is fully sufficient in the physical context under consideration.
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