alt.sci.physics.new-theories

The goal is to investigate the principle, that "no information travels
faster than the speed of light". Some relatively simple laser
experiments can, IMHO, be used to test this principle. Unfortunately
those experiments are depending on advanced technology. But again,
IMHO, these experiments will be possible to do someday. -And then they
will appear to be VERY interesting to study...

It's all about the collapse of the wavefunction for photons. I have
designed the experiment in two different ways, with different critical
parameters:

LFTL 1:
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Setup ( /lftl/ )

Describtion:
We assume, that our laser is in a very narrow coherent state. Let's
just say that we have the state n |phi>, where n is the number of
photons and |phi> is this narrow coherent state of the laser.

If something in the laser suddenly starts to absorb photons, then the
amount of photons in the laser should begin to decrease exactely at
the same time. (If we believe in Bohrs interpretation of QM.) There
should not be any delay at all, if we believe in the instantaneous
collapse of the wavefunction.

We would simply have, that the laser intensity, measured at the
detector, should be decreasing exactely when the absorber is switched
on. Without any delay at all!

Critical Parameter:
deltaL is probably very small. It will be very difficult to measure
deltaT!

LFTL 2:
=======

Setup ( /lftl/ )

Describtion:
Now, lets just assume, that it's not possible to measure the very
small deltaT if both the modulated absorber and the detector are
placed within the laser cavity. So here is setup number two:

We start with a laser. Then the light is divided into two different
arms in the setup. The first has a fiber delay and then a beamsplitter
with a mirror in one direction and a detector in the other direction.
The other arm just has a modulated absorber and a mirror.

If we have short wavepackets, things will not work, we need a coherent
state in all of the system. This is the critical parameter in this
setup.

Critical Parameter:
We need a laser with a VERY well-defined frequency to create a
coherent state in all of the system. I'm not sure if this is possible
from a technical point of view at the moment...

Please notice: These experiments are NOT using entangled states, they
are only investigating the properties of a coherent, and therefore
somehow spatially 'non-local' wavefunction.

PC