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arXiv:1311.7486

Covariant vs. non-covariant quantum collapse: Proposal for an experimental test

Antoine Suárez

Published Nov 29, 2013• 1 citation
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Abstract

Two alternative interpretations of the quantum collapse are proposed: a time-ordered and a timeless one. The time-ordered interpretation implies that the speed of light can be defined in an absolute way, while the timeless quantum collapse implies relativity and can be reckoned as covariant too. An experiment is proposed to decide between these two interpretations, which may also be considered a test of Bohm's "preferred frame" assumption.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1311.7486

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Two alternative interpretations of the quantum collapse are proposed: a time-ordered and a timeless one. The time-ordered interpretation implies that the speed of light can be defined in an absolute way, while the timeless quantum collapse implies relativity and can be reckoned as covariant too. An experiment is proposed to decide between these two interpretations, which may also be considered a test of Bohm's "preferred frame" assumption.
We propose an experiment that allows one to test the Einstein's intuitive objection to Bohr's quantum mechanics (QM), which was that if QM is correct, then there should be a nonlocality related to the collapse of a single-particle macroscopic wavefunction, which by no means is compatible with special relativity. The idea of the experiment is related to the so-called integer quantum Hall (IQH) systems known to have macroscopic quantum orbits often called extended states. The experiment appeared realizable in a modified IQH system and we have found that a single-particle nonlocality does exist precisely as it follows from QM. This fact makes one come back to the Bell-Popper idea to revive the Lorentz-Poincare "dynamic" version of relativity together with the classical concept of space and time. But now, if to add the single-particle nonlocality to the Bohm-Hiley model of undivided universe, one can solve the most formidable problem - to find a preferred reference frame without involving the vague notion "aether". Moreover, now one can adopt a deeper-than-relativistic concept of what we call "reality", which opens the door to a realistic interpretation of QM and, after all, to the awareness of the worldview of this extremely successful theory.
Decoherence posits that the classical world emerges as an “apparent” phenomenondue to environmental entanglement, with a latent superposition persisting in the systemenvironment state. We argue that this interpretation introduces unnecessary complexity,proposing instead that quantum collapse is ontologically real, driven by the attenuation ofnon-preferred basis states’ probability amplitudes to zero and the amplification of a preferredbasis to unity. This model rejects the notion of an “illusory” classical world, asserting thatobserved reality is concrete, aligning with common-sense intuition. To test this, we proposea photonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment to detect or rule out a latent superposition via post-measurement interference effects. A null interference result would supportour ontological collapse model, while recovered interference would favor decoherence. Weprovide mathematical formalisms, a detailed experimental protocol, and equipment specifications to challenge decoherence’s untested assumption of a latent superposition
I propose to resolve the controversy over the speed of collapse of quantum-mechanical wavefunctions by means of an experimental test with a modified symmetric Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer, with non-intersecting, parallel, widely separated final beams. According to the conventional collapse scenario, the coherent twin-peak atomic wavefunction in the beams of the interferometer suffers an instantaneous collapse, at infinite speed, when the atom is captured by one of the two detectors at the ends of the beams, but it remains coherent until that instant. In contrast, according to the Hellwig-Kraus relativistic collapse scenario, the wavefunction collapses at the speed of light, backward in time along the past light cone of each detector. This leads to a premature collapse, or pre-collapse, which for a beam-to-beam separation of 3 m extends over a time span of 10 ns before arrival at the detectors. Within this time span the paired wavepackets in the two beams will be incoherent. The difference between the coherent wavepackets of the conventional scenario and the incoherent wavepackets of the relativistic scenario can be tested by probing the atomic beams with a transverse laser beam crossing them near the detectors. If the paired atomic wavepackets in the two beams are coherent, the light scattered by the two beams will also be coherent and generate a standing light wave in the space between the beams, with detectable interference fringes. If the paired wavepackets are incoherent, no such interference fringes will be generated, and the distribution of the scattered light will be that of two independent dipoles. The design parameters for this test seem to lie within reach of the techniques of atom interferometry.
Bohmian Mechanics (BM) posits a deterministic quantum framework where particle trajectories are guided by a wave function within a preferred Lorentz frame, a dependence starkly revealed by a novel EPR-Bohm experiment with reversible measurements. Unlike Bell tests, where BM’s predictions align with standard quantum mechanics regardless of frame, this experiment demonstrates that the Born rule’s application in the preferred frame determines whether Alice’s intermediate measurement statistics are random or deterministic. This reliance on a preferred frame—a measure-zero set in the continuum of Lorentz frames—exposes BM’s fundamental deficiency, as it is experimentally undetectable, lacks physical justification, and violates special relativity’s frame equivalence. Collapse theories, such as GRW and CSL, face analogous issues, requiring a preferred frame for non-local collapse events. This analysis highlights the inherent tension between single-world quantum theories and relativistic constraints, raising significant doubts about their viability as alternative quantum theories. The findings underscore the need for quantum interpretations that reconcile realism with relativity, suggesting that the Many-Worlds Interpretation, which provides a Lorentz-invariant framework without requiring a preferred frame, may offer a more robust and consistent foundation for quantum mechanics.