Real-Time Interferometry Detects Mesoscopic Quantum States

Thiago Guerreiro, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, proposes a new method for creating mesoscopic quantum superpositions of motion in optically levitated nanoparticles by adhering single electron time-bin states to the particle’s surface. This approach bypasses previously complex techniques like coherent state expansion and particle recapture, streamlining the observation of quantum effects at larger scales. Interference fringes resulting from these superpositions can be detected using real-time interferometry of photons, achieving sensitivity approaching the fundamental limits of measurement. The work demonstrates a route to test quantum mechanics at larger scales, eliminating the need for coherent state expansion, dark potentials, and particle release-and-recapture mechanisms. This technique offers…