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Testing wave-function-collapse models using parametric heating of a trapped nanosphere

Daniel Goldwater, Mauro Paternostro, and P. F. Barker
Phys. Rev. A 94, 010104(R) – Published 14 July 2016
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Abstract

We propose a mechanism for testing the theory of collapse models such as continuous spontaneous localization (CSL) by examining the parametric heating rate of a trapped nanosphere. The random localizations of the center of mass for a given particle predicted by the CSL model can be understood as a stochastic force embodying a source of heating for the nanosphere. We show that by utilizing a Paul trap to levitate the particle and optical cooling, it is possible to reduce environmental decoherence to such a level that CSL dominates the dynamics and contributes the main source of heating. We show that this approach allows measurements to be made on the time scale of seconds and that the free parameter λcsl which characterizes the model ought to be testable to values as low as 1012 Hz.

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  • Received 30 June 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.94.010104

Published by the American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

Daniel Goldwater1,*, Mauro Paternostro2, and P. F. Barker1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
  • 2Centre for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom

  • *dangoldwater@gmail.com

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 1 — July 2016

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