Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel.
Phys Rev Lett. 2023 Mar 17;130(11):113602. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.113602.
We analyze the fundamental coherence limit of a nano-object with an embedded spin in a Stern-Gerlach interferometer. This limit stems from the which-path information provided by the object's rotational degrees of freedom due to the evolution of their quantum uncertainty. We show that such interferometry is straightforward in a weak magnetic field and short duration. Large wave packet separation is made possible with proper fine-tuning over long durations. This opens the door to fundamental tests of quantum theory and quantum gravity. The results and conclusions are extendable to any type of interferometry with complex objects.
我们分析了在 Stern-Gerlach 干涉仪中嵌入自旋的纳米物体的基本相干极限。这种极限源于由于量子不确定性的演化而导致的物体旋转自由度提供的路径信息。我们表明,在弱磁场和短持续时间内,这种干涉是直接的。通过在长时间内进行适当的微调,可以实现大的波包分离。这为量子理论和量子引力的基本测试打开了大门。该结果和结论可以扩展到任何具有复杂物体的干涉仪类型。