On the Electromagnetic Properties of Matter in Collapse Models

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the electromagnetic behavior of charged particles in collapse models, providing exact solutions and revealing new features that impact experimental tests of quantum collapse theories.

Contribution

It offers an exact solution within a simple collapse model under the dipole approximation, uncovering new electromagnetic features not seen in prior studies.

Findings

Exact solutions for particle electromagnetic properties in collapse models

Identification of new electromagnetic features in collapse scenarios

Implications for experimental bounds on collapse parameters

Abstract

We discuss the electromagnetic properties of both a charged free particle, and a charged particle bounded by an harmonic potential, within collapse models. By choosing a particularly simple, yet physically relevant, collapse model, and under only the dipole approximation, we are able to solve the equation of motion exactly. In this way, both the finite time and large time behavior can be analyzed accurately. We discovered new features, which did not appear in previous works on the same subject. Since, so far, the spontaneous photon emission process places the strongest upper bounds on the collapse parameters, our results call for a further analysis of this process for those atomic systems which can be employed in experimental tests of collapse models, as well as of quantum mechanics.