On free fall of fermions and antifermions

We propose a model describing spin-half quantum particles in curved spacetime in the framework of quantum field theory. Our model is based on embodying Einstein’s equivalence principle and general covariance in the definition of quantum-particle states. With this model at hand, we compute several observables which characterise spin-half quantum particles in a gravitational field. In particular, we find that spin precesses in a normal Fermi frame, even in the absence of torsion. The effect appears to be complementary to free-fall non-universality we have recently reported about for spinless quantum particles. Furthermore, we find that quantum-particle gravitational-potential energy is insensitive to wave-packet spreading in the Earth’s gravitational field, that is responsible for the non-universality of free fall in quantum theory. This theoretical result provides another channel for the experimental study of our quantum-particle model by using gravitational spectrometers. Finally, we also find that (elementary) fermions and antifermions are indistinguishable in gravity

On quantum corrections to geodesics in de-Sitter spacetime

We find a coordinate-independent wave-packet solution of the massive Klein–Gordon equation with the conformal coupling to gravity in the de-Sitter universe. This solution can locally be represented through the superposition of positive-frequency plane waves at any space-time point, assuming that the scalar-field mass M is much bigger than the de-Sitter Hubble constant H. The solution is also shown to be related to the two-point function in the de-Sitter quantum vacuum. Moreover, we study the wave-packet propagation over cosmological times, depending on the ratio of M and H. In doing so, we find that this wave packet propagates like a point-like particle of the same mass if $\mathbb{M}$ ⋙$\mathbb{H}$ , but, if otherwise, the wave packet behaves highly non-classically

On free fall of quantum matter

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

On free fall of fermions and antifermions

We propose a model describing spin-half quantum particles in curved spacetime in the framework of quantum field theory. Our model is based on embodying Einstein\u27s equivalence principle and general covariance in the definition of quantum-particle states. With this model at hand, we compute several observables which characterise spin-half quantum particles in a gravitational field. In particular, we find that spin precesses in a normal Fermi frame, even in the absence of torsion. The effect appears to be complementary to free-fall non-universality we have recently reported about for spinless quantum particles. Furthermore, we find that quantum-particle gravitational-potential energy is insensitive to wave-packet spreading in the Earth\u27s gravitational field, that is responsible for the non-universality of free fall in quantum theory. This theoretical result provides another channel for the experimental study of our quantum-particle model by using gravitational spectrometers. Finally, we also find that (elementary) fermions and antifermions are indistinguishable in gravity

Dynamical approach to the cosmological constant problem

A particular model providing a dynamical cancellation of a cosmological constant entering in Einstein equations has been found, that, under a certain condition, does not spoil the short-wavelength behavior of gravitational interaction obeying Newton\u27s law of gravity, as it was the case in previous models based on the dynamical adjustment

QED loop effects in the spacetime background of a Schwarzschild black hole

The black-hole evaporation implies that the quantum-field propagators in a local Minkowski frame acquire a correction, which gives rise to this process. The modification of the propagators causes, in turn, non-trivial local effects due to the radiative/loop diagrams in non-linear QFTs. In particular, there should be imprints of the evaporation in QED, if one goes beyond the tree-level approximation. Of special interest in this respect is the region near the black-hole horizon, which, already at tree level, appears to show highly non-classical features, e.g., negative energy density and energy flux into the black hole

The Minkowski quantum vacuum does not gravitate

We show that a non-zero renormalised value of the zero-point energy in λφ$^{4}$-theory over Minkowski spacetime is in tension with the scalar-field equation at two-loop order in perturbation theory

Non-universality of free fall in quantum theory

We show by embodying the Einstein equivalence principle and general covariance in quantum theory that wave-function spreading rules out universality of free fall, and vice versa. Assuming the former is more fundamental than the latter, we gain a quantitative estimate of the free-fall non-universality, which turns out to be empirically testable in atom interferometry.Comment: typos fixed, extended, references adde

On free fall of fermions and antifermions

Abstract We propose a model describing spin-half quantum particles in curved spacetime in the framework of quantum field theory. Our model is based on embodying Einstein’s equivalence principle and general covariance in the definition of quantum-particle states. With this model at hand, we compute several observables which characterise spin-half quantum particles in a gravitational field. In particular, we find that spin precesses in a normal Fermi frame, even in the absence of torsion. The effect appears to be complementary to free-fall non-universality we have recently reported about for spinless quantum particles. Furthermore, we find that quantum-particle gravitational-potential energy is insensitive to wave-packet spreading in the Earth’s gravitational field, that is responsible for the non-universality of free fall in quantum theory. This theoretical result provides another channel for the experimental study of our quantum-particle model by using gravitational spectrometers. Finally, we also find that (elementary) fermions and antifermions are indistinguishable in gravity