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AVS Quantum Science

de Broglie and moiré metrology: From atoms to massive metal clusters

Sebastian Pedalino, Richard Ferstl, Bruno E. Ramírez-Galindo, Severin Sindelar, Stefan Gerlich, Markus Arndt

Published Feb 3, 2026• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Matter-wave interferometry has become a ubiquitous and reliable tool for studying fundamental forces and phenomena and for realizing sensitive measurements. Our recent experiments with metal clusters have allowed us to demonstrate the quantum-wave nature of nanoparticles exceeding 170 kDa. Interestingly, the same experiments also allow for the preparation of moiré fringes of objects in the megadalton range. In this work, we demonstrate such moiré fringes of large sodium nanoparticles and, owing to the platform's stability, resolve nanometer-scale fringe displacements between successive contrast revivals, directly observing the predicted π-phase flip as a half-period shift. We further discuss how this feature turns the interferometer into a device for advanced sensing, even when operating in the regime where the predictions of quantum and classical physics merge.

DOI
10.1116/5.0301389

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Matter-wave interferometry has become a ubiquitous and reliable tool for studying fundamental forces and phenomena and for realizing sensitive measurements. Our recent experiments with metal clusters have allowed us to demonstrate the quantum-wave nature of nanoparticles exceeding 170 kDa. Interestingly, the same experiments also allow for the preparation of moiré fringes of objects in the megadalton range. In this work, we demonstrate such moiré fringes of large sodium nanoparticles and, owing to the platform's stability, resolve nanometer-scale fringe displacements between successive contrast revivals, directly observing the predicted π-phase flip as a half-period shift. We further discuss how this feature turns the interferometer into a device for advanced sensing, even when operating in the regime where the predictions of quantum and classical physics merge.
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The wave-particle duality is a key concept of quantum physics and extending quantum superpositions to bodies of increasing mass and complexity has become a key goal to numerous research groups. Such experiments are motivated by the desire to probe and better understand the quantum-classical interface in advanced tests of spontaneous or gravity-induced wave function collapse and in the search for non-linear modifications of quantum theory. High mass interferometry has been proposed to serve in the search for light dark matter via weak recoil decoherence as well as in tests of the weak equivalence principle by comparing a large variety of quantum systems with very distinct internal composition, excitation, mass, shape or angular momentum. Here we discuss the experimental state of the art in high-mass matter-wave interferometry, as well as new perspectives from cluster and nanoparticle physics to push quantum superpositions by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude in mass or up to 6 orders of magnitude in 'macroscopicity'. We discuss different near-field interferometer configurations that shall become useful in near-future demonstrations of quantum phenomena with objects as diverse as proteins, metal clusters and dielectric nanoparticles.
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