The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) and, more generally, the spin-statistics connection, is at the very basis of our understanding of matter and Nature. The PEP spurs, presently, a lively debate on its possible limits, deeply rooted in the very foundations of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory. Therefore, it is extremely important to test the limits of its validity. Quon theory provides a suitable mathematical framework of possible small violation of PEP, where the q violation parameter translates into a probability of violating PEP. Experimentally, setting a bound on PEP violation means confining the q-parameter to a value very close to either 1 (for bosons) or −1 (for fermions). The VIP (VIolation of the Pauli exclusion principle) experiment established a limit on the probability that PEP is violated by electrons, using the very clean method of searching for PEP forbidden atomic transitions in copper. We describe the experimental method, the obtained results, both in terms of the q-parameter and as probability of PEP violation, we briefly discuss the results and present plans to go beyond the actual limit by upgrading the experimental technique using vetoed new spectroscopical fast Silicon Drift Detectors. We discuss as well the possibility of using a similar experimental technique to search for X-rays generated as a signature of the spontaneous collapse of the wave function, predicted by continous spontaneous localization type theories.
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18 December 2012
QUANTUM THEORY: RECONSIDERATION OF FOUNDATIONS 6
11–14 June 2012
Vaxjo, Sweden
Research Article|
December 18 2012
A glimpse into the Pandora box of the quantum mechanics: The Pauli exclusion principle violation and spontaneous collapse models put at test
C. Curceanu (Petrascu);
C. Curceanu (Petrascu)
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy and Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O,
Romania
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S. Bartalucci;
S. Bartalucci
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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A. Bassi;
A. Bassi
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste and INFN- Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio, 2, I-34127 Trieste,
Italy
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S. Bertolucci;
S. Bertolucci
CERN, CH-1211, Geneva 23,
Switzerland
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M. Bragadireanu;
M. Bragadireanu
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy and Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O,
Romania
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M. Cargnelli;
M. Cargnelli
The Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna,
Austria
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A. Clozza;
A. Clozza
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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S. Di Matteo;
S. Di Matteo
Institut de Physique UMR CNRS-UR1 6251, Université de Rennes1, F-35042 Rennes,
France
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S. Donadi;
S. Donadi
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste and INFN- Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio, 2, I-34127 Trieste,
Italy
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J.-P. Egger;
J.-P. Egger
Institut de Physique, Université de Neuchâtel, 1 rue A.-L. Breguet, CH-2000 Neuchâtel,
Switzerland
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C. Guaraldo;
C. Guaraldo
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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M. Iliescu;
M. Iliescu
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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T. Ishiwatari;
T. Ishiwatari
The Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna,
Austria
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M. Laubenstein;
M. Laubenstein
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, S.S. 17/bis, I-67010 Assergi (AQ),
Italy
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J. Marton;
J. Marton
The Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna,
Austria
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E. Milotti;
E. Milotti
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste and INFN- Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio, 2, I-34127 Trieste,
Italy
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D. Pietreanu;
D. Pietreanu
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy and Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest-Magurele,
Romania
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K. Piscicchia;
K. Piscicchia
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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M. Poli Lener;
M. Poli Lener
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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T. Ponta;
T. Ponta
Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest - Magurele,
Romania
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A. Rizzo;
A. Rizzo
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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A. Romero Vidal;
A. Romero Vidal
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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A. Scordo;
A. Scordo
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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D. L. Sirghi;
D. L. Sirghi
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy and Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest-Magurele,
Romania
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F. Sirghi;
F. Sirghi
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy and Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest - Magurele,
Romania
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L. Sperandio;
L. Sperandio
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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O. Vazquez Doce;
O. Vazquez Doce
INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma),
Italy
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E. Widmann;
E. Widmann
The Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna,
Austria
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J. Zmeskal
J. Zmeskal
The Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna,
Austria
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AIP Conf. Proc. 1508, 136–145 (2012)
Citation
C. Curceanu (Petrascu), S. Bartalucci, A. Bassi, S. Bertolucci, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, S. Di Matteo, S. Donadi, J.-P. Egger, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, T. Ishiwatari, M. Laubenstein, J. Marton, E. Milotti, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, M. Poli Lener, T. Ponta, A. Rizzo, A. Romero Vidal, A. Scordo, D. L. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, L. Sperandio, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal; A glimpse into the Pandora box of the quantum mechanics: The Pauli exclusion principle violation and spontaneous collapse models put at test. AIP Conf. Proc. 18 December 2012; 1508 (1): 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773125
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