Related papers: On free fall of quantum matter
We propose a model describing spin-half quantum particles in curved spacetime in the framework of quantum field theory. Our model is based on embodying Einstein's equivalence principle and general covariance in the definition of…
The weak equivalence principle of gravity is examined at the quantum level in two ways. First, the position detection probabilities of particles described by a non-Gaussian wave-packet projected upwards against gravity around the classical…
We show by embodying the Einstein equivalence principle - local Poincar\'{e} invariance - and general covariance in quantum theory that wave-function spreading rules out the universality of free fall, i.e. the free-fall trajectory of a…
The unification of quantum theory and the general theory of relativity - describing gravity, is one of the most important challenges in science. Einstein's general theory of relativity is based on the principle of equivalence, and has been…
Interplays between quantum physics and gravity have long inspired exciting studies, which reveal subtle connections between quantum laws and the general notion of curved spacetime. One important example is the uniqueness of free-falling…
We develop an image theory for the recently proposed single-bounce quantum gravimeter. Free fall and quantum bounce of a matter wave-packet are described through decompositions over a basis of continuous energies. This leads to a much…
Classical point particles in Newtonian gravity obey, as they do in general relativity, the universality of free fall. However classical structured particles, (for instance with a mass quadrupole moment), need not obey the universality of…
Investigation into the applicability of the equivalence principle in quantum mechanics has taken many forms, with varying conclusions. Here, a dynamical semi-classical description of a wave packet in terms of its center of mass and higher…
We ask the question how the (weak) equivalence principle established in classical gravitational physics should be reformulated and interpreted for massive quantum objects that may also have internal degrees of freedom (dof). This inquiry is…
Inspired by Einstein's Strong Principle of Equivalence we consider the effects of quantum mechanics to the gravity-like phenomena experienced by an observer in a uniformly accelerating motion in flat spacetime. Among other things, our model…
The quantum version of the free fall problem is a topic often skipped in undergraduate quantum mechanics courses because its discussion usually requires wavepackets built on the Airy functions -- a difficult computation. Here, on the…
Free fall in a uniform gravitational field is revisited in the case of quantum states with and without classical analogue. The interplay between kinematics and dynamics in the evolution of a falling quantum test particle is discussed…
We study the free-fall of a quantum particle in the context of noncommutative quantum mechanics (NCQM). Assuming noncommutativity of the canonical type between the coordinates of a two-dimensional configuration space, we consider a neutral…
For the purpose of analyzing observed phenomena, it has been convenient, and thus far sufficient, to regard gravity as subject to the deterministic principles of classical physics, with the gravitational field obeying Newton's law or…
We have previously presented a version of the Weak Equivalence Principle for a quantum particle as an exact analog of the classical case, based on the Heisenberg picture analysis of free particle motion. Here, we take that to a full…
The equivalence principle of gravity is examined at the quantum level using the diffraction in time of matter waves in two ways. First, we consider a quasi-monochromatic beam of particles incident on a shutter which is removed at time $t =…
The quantum analogue of Galileo's leaning tower experiment is revisited using wave packets evolving under the gravitational potential. We first calculate the position detection probabilities for particles projected upwards against gravity…
Using tangent bundle geometry we construct an equivalent reformulation of classical field theory on flat spacetimes which simultaneously encodes the perspectives of multiple observers. Its generalization to curved spacetimes realizes a new…
The concept of a particle is ambiguous in quantum field theory. It is generally agreed that particles depend not only on spacetime, but also on coordinates used to parametrise spacetime points. One of us has in contrast proposed a…
The task of quantizing gravity is compared with Einstein's relativization of gravity. The philosophical and physical foundations of general relativity are briefly reviewed. The Ehlers-Pirani-Schild scheme of operationally determining the…