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    Quantum coherence dynamics of a three-level atom under noninertial motion

    Chao Zhong, Jiawei Hu*, and Hongwei Yu†

    • Department of Physics, Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, and Hunan Research Center of the Basic Discipline for Quantum Effects and Quantum Technologies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China

    • *Contact author: jwhu@hunnu.edu.cn
    • †Contact author: hwyu@hunnu.edu.cn

    Phys. Rev. D 114, 025006 – Published 7 July, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/c1gr-zb2p

    Abstract

    We investigate the quantum coherence dynamics of a three-level atom undergoing noninertial motion. Using an open-quantum-system approach, we derive a master equation for an atom coupled to a massless scalar field in vacuum and compare uniform linear acceleration with circular acceleration. For a degenerate Λ-type configuration, we show that steady-state coherence can emerge and its value depends not only on the acceleration, but also on the initial atomic state. In the intermediate-acceleration regime, circular acceleration leads to a systematically larger steady-state coherence than uniform linear acceleration, whereas in both the small- and large-acceleration limits the two cases become essentially indistinguishable. Extending the analysis to V-type and Ξ-type configurations, we find that the V-type system exhibits coherence dynamics closely analogous to the Λ-type case, whereas the Ξ-type system behaves qualitatively differently: Its relevant off-diagonal density matrix elements decay exponentially, precluding any steady-state quantum coherence. These results reveal how the noninertial trajectory, acceleration scale, initial-state preparation, and level configuration jointly govern coherence generation and survival in accelerated three-level atoms.

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