title: Optomechanical sensing of spontaneous wave-function collapse.
abstract: Quantum experiments with nanomechanical oscillators are regarded as a test bed for hypothetical modifications of the Schrödinger equation, which predict a breakdown of the superposition principle and induce classical behavior at the macroscale. It is generally believed that the sensitivity to these unconventional effects grows with the mass of the mechanical quantum system. Here we show that the opposite is the case for optomechanical systems in the presence of generic noise sources, such as thermal and measurement noise. We determine conditions for distinguishing these decoherence processes from possible collapse-induced decoherence in continuous optomechanical force measurements.
authors: Faculty of Physics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Lotharstraße 1, 47048 Duisburg, Germany.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Nimmrichter
authors: Faculty of Physics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Lotharstraße 1, 47048 Duisburg, Germany.
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Hornberger
authors: Institute for Theoretical Physics and Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors: Klemens
authors: K
authors: Hammerer