Seminar @ DF - Mon 11 May 11:00 am - H. Ulbricht - "Experimental Tests of Macroscopic Quantum Superposition"

[Rosita Glavina - Dip. Fisica, UniTS]

We are pleased to announce the seminar @ Physics Dept. - UniTS:
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Hendrik Ulbricht - Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, UK

"Experimental Tests of Macroscopic Quantum Superposition"

Monday, 11 May 2015 - 11:00 am
Lecture Room 204, LB 2nd floor, Strada Costiera 11, Trieste

ABSTRACT:
New technological developments allow to explore the quantum properties
of very complex systems, bringing the question of whether also
macroscopic systems share such features, within experimental reach. The
interest in this question is increased by the fact that, on the theory
side, many suggest that the quantum superposition principle is not
exact, departures from it being the larger, the more macroscopic the
system. Testing the superposition principle intrinsically also means to
test suggested extensions of quantum theory, so-called collapse models.
We will report on three new proposals to experimentally test the
superposition principle with nanoparticle interferometry, optomechanical
devices and by spectroscopic experiments in the frequency domain. We
will also report on the status of optical levitation and cooling
experiments with nanoparticles in our labs, towards an Earth bound
matter-wave interferometer to test the superposition principle for a
particle mass of one million amu (atomic mass unit).

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The calendar of seminars taking place at the Physics Department
is available at https://df.units.it/en/events/all_evnt/