The possibility that the collapse of the wave function in quantum mechanics is real and ultimately connected to (classical) gravity has been debated for decades with main contributions by Diósi and Penrose (DP). In particular, Diósi proposed a noise-based dynamical reduction model, which captures the same order of magnitudes for the collapse time suggested by Penrose based on heuristic arguments. This is known in the literature as the DP model (Diósi–Penrose). A peculiarity of the DP model is the prediction of spontaneous heating of matter, which can be tested without the need for massive quantum superpositions. Notably, a very similar effect is predicted by recent theoretical approaches to gravity as a classical-only information channel. Here, we reconsider the current constraints on the DP model from spontaneous heating by analyzing experimental situations not properly considered before. We argue that the parameter-free version of the DP model is close to be ruled out by standard heat leak measurements at ultralow temperatures with a conclusive exclusion likely within reach with existing technology. This result would strengthen a recent claim of exclusion inferred by spontaneous x-ray emission experiments, which relies on the somewhat stronger assumption that the DP noise field is white up to x-ray frequencies.
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Gravity-related collapse of the wave function and spontaneous heating: Revisiting the experimental bounds
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December 2021
Research Article|
November 23 2021
Gravity-related collapse of the wave function and spontaneous heating: Revisiting the experimental bounds
Special Collection:
Celebrating Sir Roger Penrose's Nobel Prize
Andrea Vinante
;
Andrea Vinante
a)
1
CNR-Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie and Fondazione Bruno Kessler
, Povo, I-38123 Trento, Italy
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Hendrik Ulbricht
Hendrik Ulbricht
b)
2
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton
, SO17 1BJ Southampton, United Kingdom
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a)
Electronic mail: anvinante@fbk.eu
b)
Electronic mail: h.ulbricht@soton.ac.uk
Note: This paper is part of the special topic Celebrating Sir Roger Penrose's Nobel Prize.
AVS Quantum Sci. 3, 045602 (2021)
Article history
Received:
September 30 2021
Accepted:
November 05 2021
Citation
Andrea Vinante, Hendrik Ulbricht; Gravity-related collapse of the wave function and spontaneous heating: Revisiting the experimental bounds. AVS Quantum Sci. 1 December 2021; 3 (4): 045602. https://doi.org/10.1116/5.0073450
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