Related papers: Probing Macroscopic Quantum Superpositions with Na…
Rotations of microscale rigid bodies exhibit pronounced quantum phenomena that do not exist for their center-of-mass motion. By levitating nanoparticles in ultra-high vacuum, researchers are developing a promising platform for observing and…
The superposition principle is the cornerstone of quantum mechanics, leading to a variety of genuinely quantum effects. Whether the principle applies also to macroscopic systems or, instead, there is a progressive breakdown when moving to…
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…
Quantum technologies are opening novel avenues for applied and fundamental science at an impressive pace. In this perspective article, we focus on the promises coming from the combination of quantum technologies and space science to test…
Quantum physics has intrigued scientists and philosophers alike, because it challenges our notions of reality and locality--concepts that we have grown to rely on in our macroscopic world. It is an intriguing open question whether the…
We propose a method to prepare and verify spatial quantum superpositions of a nanometer-sized object separated by distances of the order of its size. This method provides unprecedented bounds for objective collapse models of the wave…
Micro-optomechanical systems are central to a number of recent proposals for realizing quantum mechanical effects in relatively massive systems. Here we focus on a particular class of experiments which aim to demonstrate massive quantum…
Attempting to reconcile general relativity with quantum mechanics is one of the great undertakings of contemporary physics. Here we present how the incompatibility between the two theories arises in the simple thought experiment of…
With the exception of superselection rules, there are no known explicit violations of the Principle of quantum Superposition. However, quantum measurement and the emergence of classicality seem to imply that the Principle of Superposition…
We present and analyze a proposal for a macroscopic quantum delayed-choice experiment with massive mechanical resonators. In our approach, the electronic spin of a single nitrogen-vacancy impurity is employed to control the coherent…
We consider a thought experiment where the preparation of a macroscopically massive or charged particle in a quantum superposition and the associated dynamics of a distant test particle apparently allow for superluminal communication. We…
We propose a thought experiment, based on a mechanism that is reminiscent of Cavendish's torsion balance, to investigate the possible quantum nature of the gravitational field generated by the quantum superposition state of a massive…
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…
We address the challenge of certifying quantum behavior with single macroscopic massive particles, subject to decoherence and finite data. We propose a hypothesis testing framework that distinguishes between classical and quantum mechanics…
A molecular rotor mechanism is proposed to explain weak magnetic field effects in biology. Despite being nanoscale (1 nm), this rotor exhibits quantum superposition and interference. Analytical modeling shows its quantum dynamics are highly…
The quantum superposition principle is a cornerstone of physics and at the heart of many quantum technologies. Yet, it is still often regarded counterintuitive because we do not observe its key features on the macroscopic scales of our…
Quantum theory is incredibly successful, explaining the microscopic world with great accuracy, from the behaviour of subatomic particles to chemical reactions to solid-state electronics. There is not a single experimental finding…
We analyze the requirements to test some of the most paradigmatic collapse models with a protocol that prepares quantum superpositions of massive objects. This consists of coherently expanding the wave function of a ground-state-cooled…
One of the major difficulties of modern science underlies at the unification of general relativity and quantum mechanics. Different approaches towards such theory have been proposed. Noncommutative theories serve as the root of almost all…
We emphasize that a specific aspect of quantum gravity is the absence of a super-selection rule that prevents a linear superposition of different gravitational charges. As an immediate consequence, we obtain a tiny, but observable,…