It may be possible to empirically discriminate between the predictions of Orthodox Quantum Theory and the deBroglie-Bohm Theory of Quantum Mechanics. An experiment using the measurement methods of Atom Optics is suggested in which an atom trap having evanescent light mirrors in front of each of its walls is used to determine whether trapped atoms are in motion inside the trap. An absence of detected motion would be contrary to the prediction of Orthodox Quantum Theory and would support the deBroglie-Bohm Theory.
It may be possible to empirically discriminate between the predictions of Orthodox Quantum Theory and the deBroglie-Bohm Theory of Quantum Mechanics. An experiment using the measurement methods of Atom Optics is suggested in which an atom trap having evanescent light mirrors in front of each of its walls is used to determine whether trapped atoms are in motion inside the trap. An absence of detected motion would be contrary to the prediction of Orthodox Quantum Theory and would support the deBroglie-Bohm Theory.
It is possible to empirically discriminate between the predictions of orthodox (i.e., Copenhagen) quantum theory and the de Broglie−Bohm theory of quantum mechanics. A practical experiment is proposed in which a single, laser-cooled ion inside an ultra-cold particle trap is either found to be near the trap’s walls or not. Detections of the former kind would support the prediction of orthodox quantum theory and of the latter kind would support the de Broglie−Bohm theory. The outcome of this experiment would show which theory gives the more correct description and, consequently, would have far-reaching implications for our understanding of quantum mechanics.
The incompatibility of Orthodox Quantum Mechanics with philosophical realism poses a serious challenge to scientists upholding such a philosophical doctrine. The desire to find a solution to this and other conceptual problems that quantum mechanics confronts has motivated many authors to propose alternative versions to Orthodox Quantum Mechanics. One of them is the Spontaneous Projection Approach, a theory grounded on philosophical realism. It has been introduced in previous papers and, with a few exceptions, it yields experimental predictions coincident with those of Orthodox Quantum Mechanics. One of these exceptions is analyzed in detail. The difference in predictions becomes apparent in a suggested experiment which could put both theories to the test.
An experiment has been carried out to test a prediction of the deBroglie guided wave theory for photons. According to this theory, there exist electromagnetic waves as well as photons, with the former acting as guide for the latter. The wave not only determines the probability for the detection of a photon, but it also has an independent physical reality which can result in photodetection, As a result the guided wave theory predicts an interference effect when two photons pass through an interferometer with a particular geometry and one measures the rate of simultaneous detections by two photodetectors in coincidence as a function of optical path difference, By contrast, quantum mechanics predicts no interference under the same conditions. The experimental results clearly violate the prediction of the guided wave theory, but are in agreement with quantum mechanics.
In a recent paper, Brida et al (2002 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 35 4751) reported the first experimental realization for testing of de Broglie–Bohm (dBB) theory against standard quantum mechanics (SQM), based on a suggested scheme presented in Golshani and Akhavan (2001 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 34 5259). However, some details of their experiment are not compatible with our suggestion. Therefore, their conclusion, in which the experimental data are in complete agreement with SQM but show some deviations from dBB predictions, cannot be considered as a final verdict.
The Optics and Interferometry with Atoms symposium provided an opportunity for a general audience to learn about develop ments of this new field.The goal of atom optics is to do with atoms what usual optics does with photons, e.g., reflection, refraction, focusing, interference.Two techniques have been used up to now in order to act on atomic trajectories: interaction with quasiresonant laser light and interaction with diffracting fabricated microstructures.In his introduction, J. Mlynek (Constance) explained that several basic elements of atom optics have already been demonstrated (mirrors, lenses, beam splitters, interferome ters) but many improvements are still expec ted.He also anticipated exciting applications.For instance, atomic microprobes will use particles much less energetic that electronic microscopes (meV instead of KeV) and ato mic interferometers will permit highly sensi tive measurements of gravitational or Inertial effects, both for detection purposes and for fundamental tests of relativity.An example of an atomic interferometer, based on a idea by C. Borde using Ramsey fringes, was described F. Riehle (PTB, Braunschweig).Sensitivity to rotations has been demonstrated, light-shifts measured, and a new experiment based on cold, trap ped atoms instead of an atomic beam is in progress.J. Robert (Paris-Nord) reviewed the basic principles of Stern-Gerlach inter ferometry for application to the so-called "scalar Bohm-Aharonov effect"; a new scheme involving four interaction zones should yield new results.Finally J. Dalibard (Paris) described the atomic cavity based on a concave mirror for bouncing atoms (Fig. 1).It opens the path to the observation of multiple atomic multiple interferences, i.e., observing the modes of an atomic cavity.The ultimate goal would be to accumulate many bosonic atoms in the same mode to realise the atomic equivalent of a laser mode filled with many photons.
The wave nature of particles has been demonstrated in many experiments and it continues to be an active area of research [1]. Optical elements for atoms such as beam splitters and mirrors have been used for the manipulation of atomic deBroglie waves. Many of these elements use light forces which under certain conditions allow the coherent manipulation of the atoms and thus are important for atom interferometry. Atom interferometers have many uses, including the precise measurement of fundamental constants.