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arXiv:2502.16716

A Matter-Wave Quantum Superposition of Inertial and Constant Acceleration Motions

Vlatko Vedral

Published Feb 23, 2025• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present three different methods of calculating the non-relativistic dynamics of a quantum matter-wave evolving in a superposition of the inertial and accelerated motions. The relative phase between the two, which is classically unobservable as it is a gauge transformation, can be detected in a matter-wave interference experiment. The first method is the most straightforward and it represents the evolution as an exponential of the Hamiltonian. Based on the Heisenberg picture, the second method is insightful because it gives us extra insight into the independence of the wave-packet spreading of the magnitude of acceleration. Also, it demonstrates that the Heisenberg picture is perfectly suited to capturing all aspects of quantum interference. The final method shows the consistency with the full relativistic treatment and we use it to make a point regarding the equivalence principle.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2502.16716

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We present three different methods of calculating the non-relativistic dynamics of a quantum matter-wave evolving in a superposition of the inertial and accelerated motions. The relative phase between the two, which is classically unobservable as it is a gauge transformation, can be detected in a matter-wave interference experiment. The first method is the most straightforward and it represents the evolution as an exponential of the Hamiltonian. Based on the Heisenberg picture, the second method is insightful because it gives us extra insight into the independence of the wave-packet spreading of the magnitude of acceleration. Also, it demonstrates that the Heisenberg picture is perfectly suited to capturing all aspects of quantum interference. The final method shows the consistency with the full relativistic treatment and we use it to make a point regarding the equivalence principle.
In a previous paper, we showed that the Hamilton equations of motion of a quantum particle are obtained as group velocities of the wave packet describing this particle only if the time dependent phase of a particle wave is proportional to the Lagrangian, not to the Hamiltonian as in a solution of the conventional Schrodinger equation. When a Lagrangian of relativistic form is considered, the wave packet of a quantum particle takes a physical form, with a finite spectrum of a cut off velocity (c). Based on a relativistic quantum principle, asserting the invariance of the time dependent phase for an arbitrary change of coordinates, we obtained the relativistic kinematics and dynamics, the electromagnetic field equations, the spin and the electromagnetic and gravitational interactions. When the Lagrangian is considered as a function of the Hamiltonian, we obtain a Schrodinger type equation with an additional term depending on the velocity and the momentum operator. 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On the other hand, one could find that the simplest way to define a quantum particle is by a wave packet, with momenta conjugated to coordinates and energy conjugated to time Consider a quantum particle as a wave packet, and find that the group velocities in the coordinate and momentum spaces are in agreement with the Hamilton equations only when the Lagrangian is considered in the time dependent phases, instead of the Hamiltonian in the conventional forms of these waves as solutions of the Schrodinger equation. We define a relativistic quantum principle, and derive a wave equation for a relativistic quantum particle, the relativistic kinematics and dynamics of the particle waves, the Maxwell equations and the Lorentz force of a field interacting with the particle waves, the relativistic transform of such a field, and the spin as a characteristic of the particle waves. We consider a quantum particle as a distribution of conservative matter propagating according to the General Theory of Relativity. We obtain the dynamics of this matter in a gravitational field, the propagation in plane waves perpendicular to geodesic tracks, and equations of conservation. We describe the matter dynamics as a positively defined density and show that, according to the general theory of relativity, such a distribution can be conceive only as of a fragment of matter with a finite mass equal to a mass , as a characteristic of the matter dynamics, – the matter quantization. The group velocities of the Fourier conjugate representations in the coordinate and momentum spaces describe the dynamics of a quantum particle in agreement with the Hamiltonian equations. 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The motion of an electron in a uniform electric field, as in free fall, is characterized by the existence of pairs of trajectories that rejoin on the same final point. The corresponding interference pattern was first observed in 1996, and explained by the elementary model of uniform acceleration starting from a motionless electron source. In the experiment, however, the electron source is a fast-moving negative ion, which makes direct application of the model questionable. Relativistic arguments can be used to ascertain that no phase changes are actually produced by the motion of the source. The quantum phase of the electron can also be checked all along its two interfering trajectories. This method, which produces the same reassuring result as relativity, gives us the opportunity to revisit the relativistic transformation of the Schrödinger phase. It also makes it possible to calculate the effect of an acceleration of both the free electron and the electron emitter. Only in this case is a change of the interference pattern expected, but it is quantitatively negligible in the actual experiment.
The tomography of a single quantum particle (i.e., a quantum wave packet) in an accelerated frame is studied. We write the Schrödinger equation in a moving reference frame in which acceleration is uniform in space and an arbitrary function of time. Then, we reduce such a problem to the study of spatiotemporal evolution of the wave packet in an inertial frame in the presence of a homogeneous force field but with an arbitrary time dependence. We demonstrate the existence of a Gaussian wave packet solution, for which the position and momentum uncertainties are unaffected by the uniform force field. This implies that, similar to in the case of a force-free motion, the uncertainty product is unaffected by acceleration. In addition, according to the Ehrenfest theorem, the wave packet centroid moves according to classic Newton's law of a particle experiencing the effects of uniform acceleration. Furthermore, as in free motion, the wave packet exhibits a diffraction spread in the configuration space but not in momentum space. Then, using Radon transform, we determine the quantum tomogram of the Gaussian state evolution in the accelerated frame. Finally, we characterize the wave packet evolution in the accelerated frame in terms of optical and simplectic tomogram evolution in the related tomographic space.
Abstract We present an exact quantum observable analog of the weak equivalence principle for a ‘relativistic’ quantum particle. The quantum geodesic equations are obtained from Heisenberg equations of motion as an exact analog of a fully covariant classical Hamiltonian evolution picture, with the proper identification of the canonical momentum variables as p µ , rather than p µ . We discuss the meaning of the equations in relation to projective measurements as well as equations with solution curves as ones in the noncommutative geometric picture of spacetime, and a plausible approach to quantum gravity as a theory about quantum observables as physical quantities including the notion of quantum coordinate transformation.
The role of the equivalence principle in the context of non-relativistic quantum mechanics and matter wave interferometry, especially atom beam interferometry, will be discussed. A generalised form of the weak equivalence principle which is capable of covering quantum phenomena too, will be proposed. It is shown that this generalised equivalence principle is valid for matter wave interferometry and for the dynamics of expectation values. In addition, the use of this equivalence principle makes it possible to determine the structure of the interaction of quantum systems with gravitational and inertial fields. It is also shown that the path of the mean value of the position operator in the case of gravitational interaction does fulfill this generalised equivalence principle.
Einstein's equivalence principle (EP) states the complete physical equivalence of a gravitational field and corresponding inertial field in an accelerated reference frame. However, to what extent the EP remains valid in non-relativistic quantum mechanics is a controversial issue. To avoid violation of the EP, Bargmann's superselection rule forbids a coherent superposition of states with different masses. Here we suggest a quantum simulation of non-relativistic Schrödinger particle dynamics in non-inertial reference frames, which is based on the propagation of polarization-entangled photon pairs in curved and birefringent optical waveguides and Hong-Ou-Mandel quantum interference measurement. The photonic simulator can emulate superposition of mass states, which would lead to violation of the EP.