Equivalence principle, quantum mechanics, and atom-interferometric tests

DOI10.1007/978-3-0348-0043-3_16MaRDI QIDQ2902604zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Domenico Giulini

Publication date 21 August 2012

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

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

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)

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.

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Cited in

(12)

• On the equivalence principle and relativistic quantum mechanics
• Atom interferometry and the gravitational redshift
• Comment on: 'Does an atom interferometer test the gravitational redshift at the Compton frequency?'
• Quantum tests of the foundations of general relativity
• 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
• Equivalence of a harmonic oscillator to a free particle and Eisenhart lift
• Time dilation in quantum systems and decoherence
• Gravitational decoherence
• A test of the equivalence principle(s) for quantum superpositions
• STE-QUEST—test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

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