Testing the Equivalence Principle with Unstable Particles

TL;DR

This paper develops a quantum framework to test the Equivalence Principle using unstable particles, analyzing interference effects and potential deviations in a COW experiment setting.

Contribution

It introduces a novel quantum formalism for testing the EP with unstable particles, incorporating their decay and interference effects.

Findings

Derived a nonrelativistic quantum equation for unstable particles under EP assumptions

Analyzed the propagation of unstable particles in a COW experiment context

Discussed experimental implications of the formalism for testing the EP

Abstract

We develop a framework to test the Equivalence Principle (EP) under conditions where the quantum aspects of nature cannot be neglected, specifically in the context of interference phenomena with unstable particles. We derive the nonrelativistic quantum equation that describes the evolution of the wavefunction of unstable particles under the assumption of the validity of the EP and when small deviations are assumed to occur. As an example, we study the propagation of unstable particles in a COW experiment, and we briefly discuss the experimental implications of our formalism.