decoherence

Decoherence is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where a quantum system loses its quantum properties, such as superposition and entanglement, due to interactions with its environment. This loss of coherence causes the system to behave more like a classical system.1

In quantum computing, maintaining coherence among qubits is crucial for performing calculations. Interactions with the environment, known as decoherence, can disrupt the delicate quantum states of qubits, leading to errors. To combat decoherence, quantum computers often operate at extremely low temperatures and employ sophisticated error-correction techniques to preserve the entangled states of qubits long enough to complete computations. The process of measurement itself can also cause decoherence, as it collapses the quantum state into a single definite outcome.123