Can quantum mechanics fully describe macroscopic reality? Everyday objects are typically well-described by classical mechanics, whereas atomic-scale objects are governed by quantum mechanics. Exploring the boundary between the two domains could enable fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and the development of new sensing technologies for gravitational measurements.
Now, a team of researchers at Switzerland’s ETH Zürich and Spain’s Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona has taken an important step towards bridging the two regimes by extending the quantum wave nature of nanoparticles — objects a thousand times larger than atoms.
Quantum mechanics posits that even large objects behave as waves. However, the spatial extent of this wave-like behaviour, known as the “coherence length”, is far smaller than the size of large objects. This renders quantum phenomena effectively unobservable for such systems. “To push quantum physics into the macroscopic domain, we need to increase both [mass and coherence length] simultaneously”, explains lead researcher Massimiliano Rossi. This pursuit motivated the team’s recent study, which is described in Physical Review Letters.
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