Physicists seek to quantify macroscopic quantum states
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Scientists have been interested in generating and observing macroscopic quantum superpositions in order to test quantum mechanics at the macroscopic scale," physicist Hyunseok Jeong of Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea, told PhysOrg.com. "There have been many papers in which the authors claim to have generated mesoscopic or macroscopic superpositions, often called 'Schrodinger cat states.' However, quoting A. J. Leggett in 2002, a question from the theoretical side is What is the correct measure of "Schrodinger's-cattiness"?' It has been considered difficult to answer this question with a general measure, and the answer has remained to be 'very much a matter of personal taste,' quoting Leggett again. Our work now provides scientists with a theoretical tool to quantify and compare different types of quantum superpositions. This can be a step toward rigorous tests of quantum mechanics in a macroscopic limit."