Detecting continuous spontaneous localisation with charged bodies in a Paul trap

Abstract

Continuous spontaneous localisation (CSL) is a model that captures the effects of a class of extensions to quantum theory which are expected to result from quantum gravity, and is such that wavefunction collapse is a physical process. The rate of such a process could be very much lower than the upper bounds set by searches to date, and yet still modify greatly the interpretation of quantum mechanics and solve the quantum measurement problem. Consequently experiments are sought to explore this. We describe an experiment that has the potential to extend sensitivity to CSL by many orders of magnitude. The method is to detect heating of the motion of charged macroscopic objects confined in a Paul trap. We discuss the detection and the chief noise sources. We find that CSL with standard parameters could be observed using a vibration-isolated ion trap of size 1 cm at ultra-low pressure, with optical interferometric detection.

5 pages, 2 figures

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• Matter-wave coherence limit owing to cosmic gravitational wave background
• Schrödinger cat states of a macroscopic charged particle co-trapped with an ion