Equivalence principle, quantum mechanics, and atom-interferometric tests

DOI10.1007/978-3-0348-0043-3_16zbMATH Open1246.81049arXiv1105.0749OpenAlexW1723641090WikidataQ62591155 ScholiaQ62591155MaRDI QIDQ2902604FDOQ2902604

Authors: Domenico Giulini 

Publication date: 21 August 2012

Published in: Quantum Field Theory and Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: That gravitation can be understood as purely metric phenomenon depends crucially on the validity of a number of hypotheses which are summarised by the Einstein Equivalence Principle, the least well tested part of which being the Universality of Gravitational Redshift. A recent and currently widely debated proposal (Nature 463 (2010) 926-929) to re-interpret some 10-year old experiments in atom interferometry would imply, if tenable, substantial reductions on upper bounds for possible violations of the Universality of Gravitational Redshift by four orders of magnitude. This interpretation, however, is problematic and raises various compatibility issues concerning basic principles of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. I review some relevant aspects of the equivalence principle and its import into quantum mechanics, and then turn to the problems raised by the mentioned proposal. I conclude that this proposal is too problematic to warrant the claims that were launched with it.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1105.0749

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zbMATH Keywords

general relativityequivalence principleatom interferometry

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Closed and approximate solutions to the Schrödinger, Dirac, Klein-Gordon and other equations of quantum mechanics (81Q05) Gravitational waves (83C35)

Cited In (9)

• On the equivalence principle and relativistic quantum mechanics
• Atom interferometry and the gravitational redshift
• Quantum equivalence principle without mass superselection
• Does an atom interferometer test the gravitational redshift at the Compton frequency?
• Mechanisms of matter-wave diffraction and their application to interferometers
• Time dilation in quantum systems and decoherence
• Equivalence of a harmonic oscillator to a free particle and Eisenhart lift
• Gravitational decoherence
• STE-QUEST—test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

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