Probing gravity-related decoherence with a 16 $μ$g Schrödinger cat state (2305.04780v1)

Abstract: The Schr\"odinger equation predicts the validity of the superposition principle at any scale, yet we do not experience cats being in a superposition of "dead" and "alive" in our everyday lives. Modifications to quantum theory at the fundamental level may be responsible for the objective collapse of the wave function above a critical mass, thereby breaking down the superposition principle and restoring classical behavior at the macroscopic scale. One possibility is that these modifications are related to gravity, as described by the Di\'osi-Penrose wavefunction collapse model. Here, we investigate this model using experimental measurements on the decoherence of a Schr\"odinger cat state of a mechanical resonator with an effective mass of 16 micrograms.