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Search for Spontaneous Radiation from Wave Function Collapse in the Majorana Demonstrator.

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The Majorana experiment found no evidence for x-ray signatures predicted by the continuous spontaneous localization (CSL) model, setting new limits on wave function collapse rates. This research advances understanding of quantum mechanics and beyond standard model physics.

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Area of Science:

  • Experimental particle physics
  • Quantum mechanics foundations
  • Cosmology

Background:

  • The Majorana Demonstrator searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay and rare events below 100 keV.
  • Wave function collapse models, like CSL, aim to resolve the quantum measurement problem.
  • CSL models predict detectable x-ray radiation signatures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the continuous spontaneous localization (CSL) model using data from the Majorana Demonstrator.
  • To search for predicted x-ray radiation signatures in a specific energy range.
  • To set stringent upper limits on the CSL model's collapse rate (λ).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 37.5 kg-y enriched germanium exposure from the Majorana Demonstrator (Dec 2015 - Nov 2019).
  • Searched for x-ray radiation in the 19-100 keV range.
  • Explored both non-mass-proportional and mass-proportional CSL versions with different emission assumptions.

Main Results:

  • No evidence of CSL-predicted x-ray radiation was found.
  • Established the most stringent upper limits to date for the white CSL model on the collapse rate, λ.
  • Achieved a 40-100 times improvement in sensitivity over previous searches for large parameter space regions.

Conclusions:

  • The Majorana data strongly constrain the CSL model, ruling out significant portions of its parameter space.
  • The results provide an order of magnitude improvement for the Diòsi-Penrose model's lower bound.
  • This experiment significantly advances the search for new physics beyond the Standard Model and probes fundamental quantum mechanics.