Related papers: Minimum Length from First Principles

We show that quantum mechanics and general relativity imply the existence of a minimal length. To be more precise, we show that no operational device subject to quantum mechanics, general relativity and causality could exclude the…

First principles do imply a non-zero minimal distance between events in spacetime, but no positive lower bound to the precision of the measurement of a single coordinate.

We derive fundamental limits on measurements of position, arising from quantum mechanics and classical general relativity. First, we show that any primitive probe or target used in an experiment must be larger than the Planck length, $l_P$.…

We show that an unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity implies that there is a fundamental length in Nature in the sense that no operational procedure would be able to measure distances shorter than the Planck length.…

Ng and van Dam have argued that quantum theory and general relativity give a lower bound of L^{1/3} L_P^{2/3} on the uncertainty of any distance, where L is the distance to be measured and L_P is the Planck length. Their idea is roughly…

We have argued that quantum mechanics and general relativity give a lower bound $\delta l \gtrsim l^{1/3} l_P^{2/3}$ on the measurement uncertainty of any distance $l$ much greater than the Planck length $l_P$. Recently Baez and Olson have…

It was recently claimed that the Planck length is not a limit to the precision by which we can measure distances, but that instead it is merely the Planck volume that limits the precision by which we can measure volumes. Here, we…

We discuss a Gedanken experiment for the measurement of the area of the apparent horizon of a black hole in quantum gravity. Using rather general and model-independent considerations we find a generalized uncertainty principle which agrees…

Inspired by the work of Wheeler among others, we have studied the problem of quantum measurements of space-time distances by applying the general principles of quantum mechanics as well as those of general relativity. Contrary to the…

String theory, quantum geometry, loop quantum gravity and black hole physics all indicate the existence of a minimal observable length on the order of Planck length. This feature leads to a modification of Heisenberg uncertainty principle.…

Planck scale physics represents a future challenge, located between particle physics and general relativity. The Planck scale marks a threshold beyond which the old description of spacetime breaks down and conceptually new phenomena must…

We review the question of whether the fundamental laws of nature limit our ability to probe arbitrarily short distances. First, we examine what insights can be gained from thought experiments for probes of shortest distances, and summarize…

The existence of a fundamental scale, a lower bound to any output of a position measurement, seems to be a model-independent feature of quantum gravity. In fact, different approaches to this theory lead to this result. The key ingredients…

Quantum gravity theories predict a minimal length at the order of magnitude of the Planck length, under which the concepts of space and time lose every physical meaning. In quantum mechanics, the insurgence of such minimal length can be…

Kempf et al. in Ref. [1] have formulated a Hilbert space representation of quantum mechanics with a minimal measurable length. Recently it has been revealed, in the context of doubly special relativity, that a test particles' momentum…

A critical length has recently been identified that appears to provide a fundamental limit distinguishing quantum behavior from classical behavior. Because of the unique association between critical length and mass, it appears that we can…

In Gedankenexperiment mentioned in the title, the imprecision in space-time measurement is related to the spreading of clock's wave-function with the passage of time required for the measurement. Special relativity puts a bound on the…

The existence of a minimal length is a common prediction of various theories of quantum gravity. This minimal length leads to a modification of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle to a Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). Various…

In this paper, we clarify a foundational loose end affecting the phenomenological approach to quantum gravity centered around the generalization of Heisenberg uncertainty principle. This misconception stems from a series of recently…

We critically discuss the measure of very short time intervals. By means of a Gedankenexperiment, we describe an ideal clock based on the occurrence of completely random events. Many previous thought experiments have suggested fundamental…