Probing quantum physics and quantum enhanced sensing with molecule and nanoparticle interferometry

In 1926 we celebrate 100 years of Schrödinger’s wave equation, which has become a corner stone of quantum physics. Here, we revisit quantum superpositions of states that are classically considered mutually exclusive, Schrödinger cat like states, made from metal nanoparticles and methods that shall allow us to extrapolate these ideas to even higher masses and to diverse materials from diverse metals over dielectric nanoparticles to biological nanomatter.

Such experiments open new avenues for testing fundamental quantum physics and new perspectives for quantum assisted measurements of the physical properties of isolated nanoscale materials. Specificlaly, matter-wave interference can advance tests of macroscopicity and it can probe ultraviolet optical properties of metal clusters or the internal state dynamics of organic molecules.