Quantum mechanics before the big bang in heterotic-M-theory

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum mechanics' role before the big bang in heterotic-M-theory, revealing how quantum interference patterns localize particles and define branes, potentially avoiding cosmological singularities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach linking quantum interference to brane localization and stability in heterotic-M-theory, with a modified Schrödinger equation and implications for early universe cosmology.

Findings

Particles localize around black holes via quantum interference

Casimir potential acts as a gravitational effective potential

Quantum interference helps define and stabilize branes

Abstract

In this letter we investigate the role played by quantum mechanics before the big-bang in heterotic-M-theory assuming an orbifold compactification of time. As we will see particles are localized around a black hole but only in regions where a constructive quantum interference takes place. We infer that the creation of this interference pattern is interesting for many reasons: (A) it is a mechanism to localize particles on $S^4$ branes; (B) the Casimir potential for the dilaton can be interpreted as a gravitational effective potential for a two-body problem; (C) the quantum interference is a new way to define the branes in heterotic-M-theory. Remarkably, a modified Schroedinger equation is obtained. The stabilization of the branes' position is related to the absence of a cosmological singularity.