Quantum interferometric visibility as a witness of general relativistic proper time
Abstract
Current attempts to probe general relativistic effects in quantum mechanics focus on precision measurements of phase shifts in matter-wave interferometry. Yet, phase shifts can always be explained as arising because of an Aharonov-Bohm effect, where a particle in a flat space-time is subject to an effective potential. Here we propose a quantum effect that cannot be explained without the general relativistic notion of proper time. We consider interference of a 'clock'--a particle with evolving internal degrees of freedom--that will not only display a phase shift, but also reduce the visibility of the interference pattern. According to general relativity, proper time flows at different rates in different regions of space-time. Therefore, because of quantum complementarity, the visibility will drop to the extent to which the path information becomes available from reading out the proper time from the 'clock'. Such a gravitationally induced decoherence would provide the first test of the genuine general relativistic notion of proper time in quantum mechanics.
- Publication:
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Nature Communications
- Pub Date:
- October 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1038/ncomms1498
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1105.4531
- Bibcode:
- 2011NatCo...2..505Z
- Keywords:
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- Quantum Physics;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
- E-Print:
- 11 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, published version