Time dilation in quantum systems and decoherence

Autor(en)

Igor Pikovski, Magdalena Zych, Fabio Costa, Caslav Brukner

Abstrakt

Both quantum mechanics and general relativity are based on principles that defy our daily intuitions, such as time dilation, quantum interference and entanglement. Because the regimes where the two theories are typically tested are widely separated, their foundational principles are rarely jointly studied. Recent works have found that novel phenomena appear for quantum particles with an internal structure in the presence of time dilation, which can take place at low energies and in weak gravitational fields. Here we briefly review the effects of time dilation on quantum interference and generalize the results to a variety of systems. In addition, we provide an extended study of the basic principles of quantum theory and relativity that are of relevance for the effects and also address several questions that have been raised, such as the description in different reference frames, the role of the equivalence principle and the effective irreversibility of the decoherence. The manuscript clarifies some of the counterintuitive aspects arising when quantum phenomena and general relativistic effects are jointly considered.

Organisation(en)

Quantenoptik, Quantennanophysik und Quanteninformation

Externe Organisation(en)

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Queensland University of Technology, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)

Journal

New Journal of Physics

Band

19

Anzahl der Seiten

15

ISSN

1367-2630

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa5d92

Publikationsdatum

02-2017

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103025 Quantenmechanik, 103026 Quantenoptik, 103028 Relativitätstheorie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Allgemeine Physik und Astronomie

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/5989c17f-ae8f-48b8-8ec1-8456cd3e82b0