Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Probing quantum commutators

Matteo A. C. Rossi, Tommaso Giani, Matteo G. A. Paris

Published Jun 10, 2016• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Quantum gravity theories predict a minimal length at the order of magnitude of the Planck length, under which the concepts of space and time lose every physical meaning. In quantum mechanics, the insurgence of such minimal length can be described by introducing a modified position-momentum commutator, which in turn yields a generalized uncertainty principle, where the uncertainty on the position measurement has a lower bound. The value of the minimal length is not predicted by theories and must be evaluated experimentally. In this paper, we address the quantum bound to estimability of the minimal uncertainty length by performing measurements on a harmonic oscillator, which is analytically solvable in the deformed algebra of the Hilbert subspace.

Related papers

Probing deformed quantum commutators

Matteo A. C. Rossi, Tommaso Giani, Matteo G. A. Paris

Several quantum gravity theories predict a minimal length at the order of magnitude of the Planck length, under which the concepts of space and time lose their physical meaning. In quantum mechanics, the insurgence of such a minimal length can be described by introducing a modified position-momentum commutator, which in turn yields a generalized uncertainty principle, where the uncertainty on position measurements has a lower bound. The value of the minimal length is not predicted by theories and must be estimated experimentally. In this paper, we address the quantum bound to the estimability of the minimal uncertainty length by performing measurements on a harmonic oscillator, which is analytically solvable in the deformed algebra induced by the deformed commutation relations.

arXiv:1606.03420•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Jul 6, 2016•19 citations

Comprimento mínimo em mecânica quântica via modificação da álgebra de Heisenberg

Gláuber C. Dorsch

Although gravity could not be quantized yet, there are good theoretical evidences that the unification of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics should lead to the existence of a minimal observable length, a length scale below which the very notion of length looses meaning. Such effect proves to be worth some further analysis, for it acts as a natural regulator parameter, thus avoiding the divergences that plague Quantum Field Theories. In order to investigate some of the physical consequences of the existence of this peculiar effect, we propose to include it in the framework of Quantum Mechanics by modifying the Heisenberg algebra (i.e., the commutation relation of position and momentum operators, Xˆ and Pˆ), so that a minimum non-zero value for the uncertainty ?x emerges, which, being a limitation to the localizability of particles, acts as a minimal length. The Hilbert space of the theory must be modified accordingly. As we will see, the changes are not merely quantitative. On the contrary, our main result is that the familiar concept of “position measurement” must be reformulated, as well as other concepts related to it. We present a proposal for such reformulation.

•May 31, 2010•0 citations

Probing deformed commutators with micro- and nano-oscillators

M. Bawaj, C. Biancofiore, M. Bonaldi +11 more

A minimal observable length is a common feature of theories that aim to merge quantum physics and gravity. Quantum mechanically, this concept is associated to a minimal uncertainty in position measurements, which is encoded in deformed commutation relations. Once applied in the Heisenberg dynamics, they give effects potentially detectable in low energy experiments. For instance, an isolated harmonic oscillator becomes intrinsically nonlinear and its dynamics shows a dependence of the oscillation frequency on the amplitude, as well as the appearance of higher harmonics. Here we analyze the free decay of micro and nano-oscillators, spanning a wide range of masses, and we place upper limits to the parameters quantifying the commutator deformation.

The Ninth Marcel Grossmann Meeting•Nov 16, 2017•0 citations

Coherent states in minimal-length Quantum Mechanics: inequivalent characterizations and emergent squeezing

Giuseppe Gaetano Luciano, Pasquale Bosso, Daniel Chemisana

Several approaches to quantum gravity suggest the emergence of a fundamental minimal length at the Planck scale. In quantum mechanics, this feature is naturally encoded through deformations of the Heisenberg algebra, leading to the Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). While the phenomenological implications of GUP have been extensively explored, a consistent characterization of coherent states in minimal-length quantum mechanics remains elusive. In this work, we present a systematic analysis of coherent states for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. We show that the canonical equivalence among their standard characterizations - as eigenstates of the annihilation operator, displaced vacuum states and minimum-uncertainty wave packets - is generically lost in the presence of a minimal length. We then investigate the dynamical and semiclassical consequences of this inequivalence by comparing the evolution of generalized coherent states with that of states saturating the GUP. In particular, we demonstrate that minimal-length effects induce nontrivial deformations of phase-space trajectories and give rise to an intrinsic squeezing mechanism with no counterpart in ordinary quantum mechanics. These results establish a unified framework for coherence in GUP-based quantum theories and identify distinctive semiclassical signatures of minimal-length physics, opening a new avenue for probing quantum-gravitational effects.

quant-pharXiv:2607.01393•Jul 3, 2026•0 citations

The generalized uncertainty principle within the ordinary framework of quantum mechanics

Y.V. Przhiyalkovskiy

A proper deformation of the underlying coordinate and momentum commutation relations in quantum mechanics provides a phenomenological approach to account for the influence of gravity on small scales. Introducing the squared momentum term results in a generalized uncertainty principle, which limits the minimum uncertainty in particle position to the Planck length. However, such a deformation of the commutator significantly changes the formalism, making it separate from the canonical formalism of quantum mechanics. In this study, it is shown that the deformed algebra of position and momentum operators can be incorporated into the framework of ordinary quantum mechanics.

arXiv:2407.09123•Jul 12, 2024•1 citation

Quantum speed limit as a sensitive probe of Planck-scale effects

Salman Sajad Wani, Saif M. Al-Kuwari

Many quantum-gravity scenarios predict a minute modification of the canonical commutator, known as the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), whose low-energy signatures are, in principle, accessible to state-of-the-art laboratory tests. We compute first-order minimal-length corrections to the quantum speed limit (QSL) for three cases: uniform superpositions in an infinite square well, coherent harmonic-oscillator states, and squeezed-oscillator states. We identify a universal amplification law: for any pure state, the fractional shift of either speed limit scales linearly with $β$ and algebraically with the state's effective Hilbert-space size. As the effective Hilbert-space dimension can be exceedingly large, the associated minimal-length signatures are amplified by several orders of magnitude. Using high-precision matter-wave timing data, we set a direct bound on the GUP parameter $β$, which quantifies minimal-length quantum-gravity effects. Our analysis indicates that phase-locked, short-time overlap fits on kilogram-scale optical-spring modes can tighten this bound by orders of magnitude. We outline two implementable measurement pipelines -- continuous back-action-evading single-quadrature readout and stroboscopic, phase-locked pulsed tomography -- that exploit this leverage, making QSL-based timing a practical, near-term probe of minimal-length physics on quantum-optical and optomechanical platforms.

arXiv:2510.00057•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Sep 11, 2025•1 citation
Quantum gravity theories predict a minimal length at the order of magnitude of the Planck length, under which the concepts of space and time lose every physical meaning. In quantum mechanics, the insurgence of such minimal length can be described by introducing a modified position-momentum commutator, which in turn yields a generalized uncertainty principle, where the uncertainty on the position measurement has a lower bound. The value of the minimal length is not predicted by theories and must be evaluated experimentally. In this paper, we address the quantum bound to estimability of the minimal uncertainty length by performing measurements on a harmonic oscillator, which is analytically solvable in the deformed algebra of the Hilbert subspace.
Several quantum gravity theories predict a minimal length at the order of magnitude of the Planck length, under which the concepts of space and time lose their physical meaning. In quantum mechanics, the insurgence of such a minimal length can be described by introducing a modified position-momentum commutator, which in turn yields a generalized uncertainty principle, where the uncertainty on position measurements has a lower bound. The value of the minimal length is not predicted by theories and must be estimated experimentally. In this paper, we address the quantum bound to the estimability of the minimal uncertainty length by performing measurements on a harmonic oscillator, which is analytically solvable in the deformed algebra induced by the deformed commutation relations.
Although gravity could not be quantized yet, there are good theoretical evidences that the unification of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics should lead to the existence of a minimal observable length, a length scale below which the very notion of length looses meaning. Such effect proves to be worth some further analysis, for it acts as a natural regulator parameter, thus avoiding the divergences that plague Quantum Field Theories. In order to investigate some of the physical consequences of the existence of this peculiar effect, we propose to include it in the framework of Quantum Mechanics by modifying the Heisenberg algebra (i.e., the commutation relation of position and momentum operators, Xˆ and Pˆ), so that a minimum non-zero value for the uncertainty ?x emerges, which, being a limitation to the localizability of particles, acts as a minimal length. The Hilbert space of the theory must be modified accordingly. As we will see, the changes are not merely quantitative. On the contrary, our main result is that the familiar concept of “position measurement” must be reformulated, as well as other concepts related to it. We present a proposal for such reformulation.
A minimal observable length is a common feature of theories that aim to merge quantum physics and gravity. Quantum mechanically, this concept is associated to a minimal uncertainty in position measurements, which is encoded in deformed commutation relations. Once applied in the Heisenberg dynamics, they give effects potentially detectable in low energy experiments. For instance, an isolated harmonic oscillator becomes intrinsically nonlinear and its dynamics shows a dependence of the oscillation frequency on the amplitude, as well as the appearance of higher harmonics. Here we analyze the free decay of micro and nano-oscillators, spanning a wide range of masses, and we place upper limits to the parameters quantifying the commutator deformation.
Several approaches to quantum gravity suggest the emergence of a fundamental minimal length at the Planck scale. In quantum mechanics, this feature is naturally encoded through deformations of the Heisenberg algebra, leading to the Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). While the phenomenological implications of GUP have been extensively explored, a consistent characterization of coherent states in minimal-length quantum mechanics remains elusive. In this work, we present a systematic analysis of coherent states for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. We show that the canonical equivalence among their standard characterizations - as eigenstates of the annihilation operator, displaced vacuum states and minimum-uncertainty wave packets - is generically lost in the presence of a minimal length. We then investigate the dynamical and semiclassical consequences of this inequivalence by comparing the evolution of generalized coherent states with that of states saturating the GUP. In particular, we demonstrate that minimal-length effects induce nontrivial deformations of phase-space trajectories and give rise to an intrinsic squeezing mechanism with no counterpart in ordinary quantum mechanics. These results establish a unified framework for coherence in GUP-based quantum theories and identify distinctive semiclassical signatures of minimal-length physics, opening a new avenue for probing quantum-gravitational effects.
A proper deformation of the underlying coordinate and momentum commutation relations in quantum mechanics provides a phenomenological approach to account for the influence of gravity on small scales. Introducing the squared momentum term results in a generalized uncertainty principle, which limits the minimum uncertainty in particle position to the Planck length. However, such a deformation of the commutator significantly changes the formalism, making it separate from the canonical formalism of quantum mechanics. In this study, it is shown that the deformed algebra of position and momentum operators can be incorporated into the framework of ordinary quantum mechanics.
Many quantum-gravity scenarios predict a minute modification of the canonical commutator, known as the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), whose low-energy signatures are, in principle, accessible to state-of-the-art laboratory tests. We compute first-order minimal-length corrections to the quantum speed limit (QSL) for three cases: uniform superpositions in an infinite square well, coherent harmonic-oscillator states, and squeezed-oscillator states. We identify a universal amplification law: for any pure state, the fractional shift of either speed limit scales linearly with βββ and algebraically with the state's effective Hilbert-space size. As the effective Hilbert-space dimension can be exceedingly large, the associated minimal-length signatures are amplified by several orders of magnitude. Using high-precision matter-wave timing data, we set a direct bound on the GUP parameter βββ, which quantifies minimal-length quantum-gravity effects. Our analysis indicates that phase-locked, short-time overlap fits on kilogram-scale optical-spring modes can tighten this bound by orders of magnitude. We outline two implementable measurement pipelines -- continuous back-action-evading single-quadrature readout and stroboscopic, phase-locked pulsed tomography -- that exploit this leverage, making QSL-based timing a practical, near-term probe of minimal-length physics on quantum-optical and optomechanical platforms.