Related papers: Macroscopic quantum resonators (MAQRO)
Do the laws of quantum physics still hold for macroscopic objects - this is at the heart of Schr\"odinger's cat paradox - or do gravitation or yet unknown effects set a limit for massive particles? What is the fundamental relation between…
The objective of the proposed MAQRO mission is to harness space for achieving long free-fall times, extreme vacuum, nano-gravity, and cryogenic temperatures to test the foundations of physics in macroscopic quantum experiments. This will…
Quantum superposition is central to quantum theory but challenges our concepts of reality and spacetime when applied to macroscopic objects like Schr\"odinger's cat. For that reason, it has been a long-standing question whether quantum…
Recent developments in space technology like micro-propulsion systems for drag-free control, thermal shielding, ultra-stable laser sources and stable optical cavities set an ideal platform for quantum optomechanical experiments with…
Testing the limits of the applicability of quantum mechanics will deepen our understanding of the universe and may shed light on the interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity. At present there is a wide range of approaches for such…
Optically levitated particles are used in a wide range of experiments to explore both fundamental physics and to act as sensors to a variety of external forces. One field of particular interest that these particles can be used to…
Whether quantum physics is universally valid is an open question with far-reaching implications. Intense research is therefore invested into testing the quantum superposition principle with ever heavier and more complex objects. Here we…
Space-borne quantum technologies, particularly those based on atom interferometry, are heralding a new era of strategic and robust space exploration. The unique conditions of space, characterized by low noise and low gravity environments,…
The notion of a macroscopic quantum state must be pinned down in order to assess how well experiments probe the large-scale limits of quantum mechanics. However, the issue of quantifying so-called quantum macroscopicity is fraught with…
Space offers exciting opportunities to test the foundations of quantum physics using macroscopic quantum superpositions. It has been proposed to perform such tests in a dedicated space mission (MAQRO) using matter-wave interferometry with…
We present in detail the scientific objectives in fundamental physics of the Space-Time Explorer and QUantum Equivalence Space Test (STE-QUEST) space mission. STE-QUEST was pre-selected by the European Space Agency together with four other…
Recently, solid-state mechanical resonators have become a platform for demonstrating non-classical behavior of systems involving a truly macroscopic number of particles. Here, we perform the most macroscopic quantum test in a mechanical…
Momentum diffusion is a possible mechanism for driving macroscopic quantum systems towards classical behaviour. Experimental tests of this hypothesis rely on a precise estimation of the strength of this diffusion. We show that…
Testing quantum theory on macroscopic scales is a longstanding challenge that might help to revolutionise physics. For example, laboratory tests (such as those anticipated in nanomechanical or biological systems) may look to rule out…
Macroscopic quantum phenomena refer to quantum features in objects of `large' sizes, systems with many components or degrees of freedom, organized in ways where they can be identified as macroscopic objects. This emerging field is ushered…
The search for empirical schemes to evidence the nonclassicality of large masses is a central quest of current research. However, practical schemes to witness the irreducible quantumness of an arbitrarily large mass are still lacking. To…
Macroscopic realism is a classical worldview that a macroscopic system is always determinately in one of the two or more macroscopically distinguishable states available to it, and so is never in a superposition of these states. The…
To perform meaningful computations, Quantum Computers (QCs) must scale to macroscopic levels - i.e., to a large number of qubits - an objective pursued by most quantum companies. How to efficiently test their quantumness at these scales? We…
We consider fundamental limits on the detectable size of macroscopic quantum superpositions. We argue that a full quantum mechanical treatment of system plus measurement device is required, and that a (classical) reference frame for phase…
The present work reports on an extended research endeavor focused on the theoretical and experimental realization of a macroscopic quantum superposition (MQS) made up with photons. As it is well known, this intriguing, fundamental quantum…