Berlin 2014 – scientific programme

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AGPhil: Arbeitsgruppe Philosophie der Physik

AGPhil 3: Symposium Quantum-Classical Divide

AGPhil 3.1: Invited Talk

Thursday, March 20, 2014, 10:30–11:00, Audimax

Experimental tests of quantum macroscopicity — •Markus Arndt — Faculty of Physics, VCQ, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Quantum physics is often said to be the theory of the microscopic world, whereas classical physics is associated with our macroscopic experience. But what is actually the criterion for an experiment to be microscopic or macroscopic [1]? Are quantum superposition and coherence limited to small systems, in size, particle number, mass, state separation in real or phase space? We suggest that experimental matter-wave interferometry with high-mass (10⁴-10⁷amu) and ultrahigh-mass particles (10⁸-10¹⁰amu) can settle some of these questions, in the future. State of the art molecule interferometers [2, 3] are expected to corroborate or falsify spontaneous localization models[5]. Recent progress in optical cooling of nanoparticles [6,7] also gives hope for quantum experiments in the ultra-high mass range.

[1]S. Nimmrichter et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 160403 (2013). [2]S. Eibenberger et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 14696 (2013). [4]P. Haslinger et al., Nature Physics 9, 144 (2013). [5]S. Nimmrichter et al., Phys. Rev. A 83, 043621 (2011). [6]P. Asenbaum et al., Nat Commun 4, 2743 (2013). [7]N. Kiesel et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110, 14180 (2013).