Testing Quantum Mechanics Underground
1) Search for the Pauli Exclusion Principle Violations with the VIP experiment
Catalina Oana Curceanu
INFN-LNF, Frascati (Italy)
The VIP experiment, conducted at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy, investigates potential deviations from standard quantum mechanics predictions. Specifically, we search for atomic transitions that violate the Pauli Exclusion Principle, such as transitions leading to a third electron occupying the atomic ground state. By using high-sensitivity radiation detectors, we have established stringent constraints on these non-Paulian transitions, with implications for Quantum Gravity (QG) models. Our latest results will be presented, along with future plans to explore more refined QG frameworks and other beyond Standard Model physics.
2) Investigating Quantum Collapse with the VIP experiment at LNGS
Kristian Piscicchia
Centro Ricerche Enrico Fermi (CREF) and INFN-LNF, Frascati (Italy)
Spontaneous Quantum Collapse models aim to resolve the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics by introducing stochastic and nonlinear modifications to the Schrödinger equation. While quantum superpositions are well-verified at the microscopic scale, their absence in macroscopic systems suggests a transition mechanism not explicitly included in standard quantum theory. Collapse models predict a mass-dependent suppression of superpositions, accompanied by spontaneous radiation emissions. The VIP experiment places the most stringent constraints on these emissions, probing the interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity. Recent experimental advancements and future perspectives will also be discussed.
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