On free fall of quantum matter

Abstract

We propose an approach that allows to systematically take into account gravity in quantum particle physics. It is based on quantum field theory and the general principle of relativity. These are used to build a model for quantum particles in curved spacetime. We compute by its means a deviation from a classical geodesic in the Earth's gravitational field. This shows that free fall depends on quantum-matter properties. Specifically, we find that the free-fall universality and the wave-packet spreading are mutually exclusive phenomena. We then estimate the Eötvös parameter for a pair of atoms freely falling near the Earth's surface, provided that the wave-packet spreading is more fundamental than the weak equivalence principle.

references added, discussion extended, version to be published in Eur. Phys. J. C

References in corpus (5)

• Quantum Test of the Universality of Free Fall
• General relativistic effects in quantum interference of photons
• Post-Newtonian gravitational effects in quantum interferometry
• Gravitational time dilation, free fall, and matter waves
• Quantum scattering process and information transfer out of a black hole

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Scattering Times of Quantum Particles from the Gravitational Potential, and Equivalence Principle Violation
• Matter waves and clocks do not observe uniform gravitational fields
• Weak equivalence principle and nonrelativistic limit of general dispersion relations
• On free fall of fermions and antifermions
• Free-fall non-universality in quantum theory
• Second-Order Moment Quantum Fluctuations and Quantum Equivalence Principle
• Coordinate- and spacetime-independent quantum physics
• Local Short-Time Acceleration induced Spectral Line Broadening and Possible Implications in Cosmology
• Field Quantisations in Schwarzschild Spacetime: Theory versus Low-Energy Experiments
• Trajectory of a massive localised wave function in a curved spacetime geometry