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MON: Monday Contributed Sessions

MON 23: Poster Session: Fundamental Aspects and Model Systems

MON 23.27: Poster

Monday, September 8, 2025, 18:30–20:30, ZHG Foyer 1. OG

Testing two cornerstones of quantum theory with multi-particle interference — •Marc-Oliver Pleinert and Joachim von Zanthier — Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Group, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

From the start, quantum mechanics has been questioned due to its counter-intuitive aspects. One example is the use of complex numbers, one building block of quantum theory, which has been criticised already by Schrödinger. Another example is Born’s rule relating detection probabilities to the modulus square of the wave function, which initially was only added as a footnote.

Altogether, quantum theory permits interference between indistinguishable paths but, at the same time, restricts its order. Single-particle interference, for instance, is limited to the second order, that is, to pairs of single-particle paths. Recently, we introduced particular multi-particle interference tests of these two cornerstones of quantum mechanics: (i) generalised Sorkin tests of the order of interference and thus Born’s rule [1,2] and (ii) generalised Peres tests for the dimensionality of the number system with the aim of questioning whether complex numbers are sufficient for quantum theory [3].

[1] Phys. Rev. Research 2, 012051(Rapid Comm.) (2020)

[2] Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 190401 (2021)

[3] Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 060201 (2025)

Keywords: Multi-particle interference; Higher-order interference; Complex quantum mechanics; Born's rule