This study presents a classical, macroscopic system in which photonic information from a laser beam is temporarily transferred to an acoustic phonon field in air via acousto-optic interaction. The system does not retain quantum states; instead, it provides a classical analogue to quantum information storage and decoherence. Using ultrasonic modulation and time-resolved photodetection, the work investigates how information is maintained, decays, and defines an effective photon–phonon storage duration. Experimental data obtained via LDR-based measurements are complemented with illustrative simulations adapted from classical photonics and mechanics literature. This provides a conceptual framework for understanding classical information storage, photon–phonon momentum exchange, refractive index modulation, and the analogy to decoherence. Key aspects include: Raw and processed acousto-optic signal time series Effective information density in the phonon-mediated channel Exponential decay of the classical signal as an analogue to quantum decoherence Impact of different gases on effective storage times This work offers a reference for classical analogues of photon–phonon interactions and may serve as a teaching tool or conceptual model in photonics and information science.
Arda Sahin (Sat,) studied this question.