The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Probing Planck-scale physics with quantum optics
Open accessAbstract
One of the main challenges in physics today is to merge quantum theory and the theory of general relativity into a unified framework. Researchers are developing various approaches towards such a theory of quantum gravity, but a major hindrance is the lack of experimental evidence of quantum gravitational effects. Yet, the quantization of spacetime itself can have experimental implications: the existence of a minimal length scale is widely expected to result in a modification of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation. Here we introduce a scheme to experimentally test this conjecture by probing directly the canonical commutation relation of the centre-of-mass mode of a mechanical oscillator with a mass close to the Planck mass. Our protocol uses quantum optical control and readout of the mechanical system to probe possible deviations from the quantum commutation relation even at the Planck scale. We show that the scheme is within reach of current technology. It thus opens a feasible route for table-top experiments to explore possible quantum gravitational phenomena. Commutation relations define the limit to which two complementary properties can be simultaneously known—Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Yet it is thought that these canonical relations might be different in the quantum gravity regime. Researchers now show how quantum-optics experiments might provide a direct route for studying these effects.
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Cites
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Cited by
Aspelmeyer, M., Kippenberg, T. J., & Marquardt, F. (2014) · Reviews of Modern Physics · doi:10.1103/revmodphys.86.1391 · Cited by 5,501
Self-citationTesting the limits of quantum mechanical superpositions
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Derivation of the Dirac equation from principles of information processing
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Quantum field as a quantum cellular automaton: The Dirac free evolution in one dimension
Bisio, A., D’Ariano, G. M., & Tosini, A. (2015) · Annals of Physics · doi:10.1016/j.aop.2014.12.016 · Cited by 81
Special relativity in a discrete quantum universe
Bisio, A., D'Ariano, G. M., & Perinotti, P. (2016) · Physical Review A · doi:10.1103/physreva.94.042120 · Cited by 25
Metadata
- Authors
- Pikovski, I., Vanner, M. R., Aspelmeyer, M., Kim, M. S., & Brukner, Č.
- Venue
- Nature Physics
- Published
- 2012-03-18
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 393-397
- ISSN
- 1745-2473 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-2481
- OpenAlex
- W2107602703
- Cited by
- 594
- References
- 61
- FWCI
- 35.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
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- Pikovski, I., Vanner, M. R., Aspelmeyer, M., Kim, M. S., & Brukner, Č. (2012). Probing Planck-scale physics with quantum optics. Nature Physics. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys2262
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