Requirements on Quantum Superpositions of Macro-Objects for Sensing Neutrinos

Abstract

We examine a macroscopic system in a quantum superposition of two spatially separated localized states as a detector for a stream of weakly interacting relativistic particles. We do this using the explicit example of neutrinos with MeV-scale energy scattering from a solid object via neutral-current neutrino-nucleus scattering. Presuming the (anti-)neutrino source to be a nuclear fission reactor, we utilize the estimated flux and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus cross section to constrain the spatial separation $\Delta$x and describe the temporal evolution of the sensing system. Particularly, we find that a potentially measurable relative phase between quantum superposed components is obtained for a single gram scale mass placed in a superposition of spatial components separated by $10^{-14}$m under sufficient cooling and background suppression.

12 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

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• Phonon-induced contrast in a matter-wave interferometer
• Optimal Superpositions for Particle Detection via Quantum Phase