Decoherence is a quantum physical phenomenon that leads to the loss of coherence properties of a quantum system. In the case of a [[Qubit|qubit]], the [[Superposition|superposition]] of $\ket{0}$ and $\ket{1}$ is destroyed, which leads to a loss of information. Typical decoherence mechanisms are [[Dephasing|dephasing]] and [[Energy Relaxation|energy relaxation]]. The effect would be similar to a USB stick that loses its information over time. In order to build functional [[Quantum Computer|quantum computers]], various methods must be used to combat decoherence. One of the most important ones is [[Quantum Error Correction|quantum error correction]]. >[!read]- Further Reading > - [[Quantum Information]] >[!ref]- References