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Topic Name: Is there a cosmic speed limit?
Category: Photonics
Research persons: Günter Nimtz and Alfons Stahlhofen,
Location: Physical Institute,the university to Cologne,Zülpicher road 77,D-50937 Cologne, Germany
Details
Everything is relatively, also the thing with the trans-light velocity. From
the formulas of Einstein relativity theory is the speed of the light (physical
contraction: C) one the fundamental constants of the universe. Them amount to
accurately 299,792 kilometers per second. That applies to particles without
proper mass, as the photon (light particle), which in the vacuum moves. Other
particles, the one proper mass possess - as protons, neutrons or electrons, of
which the atoms consist -, can never reach this speed. In order to accelerate it
on C, it would require infinite energy. Therefore particles always remain in
particle accelerators such as CERN with Geneva around a few per cent under the
greatest possible speed in the universe.
However nature a Hintertürchen leaves itself open, because the cosmic speed
limit applies only to processes, with which within the universe information will
transfer. Other procedures can run off quite faster than the light. This is
anyhow the postulate valid in physics. It got however a few tears. Because in
the 90's-years some experiments caused sensation, which referred for the first
time also to a over-light-fast signal transmission. In extreme cases the signal
seemed to reach even the receiver, before it was loose-sent by the transmitter.
An Enigmatic Conception of the world
If this result would have existence, it would place our whole conception of the
world on the head. Because then causality would be waived. It means that the
cause of a procedure has to precede in principle the effect. So a rifleman must
curve only the finger at the departure, before the ball leaves the run. The
reversal of this succession not possibly appears to us. Indeed would be a world
with waived or exchanged causality for us full absurdities.
In the 90's-years our in this connection firmly added conception of the world
came into the Wanken. At that time physics professor Günter Nimtz of the
University of Cologne
had developed a special experiment. It sent microwaves in two ways from a
generator to a detector. Once over a waveguide - a metallic pipe, which leads
microwaves - to the receiver. The second way led the jets across the same
distance by air.
The tunnel effect with superconductors
Actually a close waveguide for microwaves functions as impenetrable barrier. But
a natural phenomenon carried a part of the radiation nevertheless to the goal.
It concerns thereby the so-called tunnel effect. The following comparison
clarifies, as it functions: If one shoots a football a hill high, he can only
overcome this and roll down on the other side, if he receives enough energy.
Otherwise it stops before the hill crest and rolls back. If it could roll
however across the hill, it would come with far less firing strength to the
goal.
In our everyday life world this does not function naturally. But in the puzzling
world of the quanta a particle can actually tunnel a Potential wall through (our
hill). It dips then on the opposite side. The probability, with which it
penetrates the barrier, depends on their strength, the particle energy and
further factors. The tunnel effect well-known since 1928 plays with the super
conduction (resistance-free line of electric current, which can be transported
thus nearly without loss of energy over far distances) as well as the
radioactivity a role, likewise with the nuclear fusion, which lets our sun
shine.
During its experiment Nimtz with its working group came on a surprising result:
The signals did not only run by the waveguide faster than by air. They reached
even approximately the double, with longer tunnel even the 4,7-fache speed of
light. The researchers observed besides that the signal before the barrier stops
briefly - as a Springpferd, which shrinks from at the obstacle - and then in
wind hurry at the other end emerges.
Information, which will transfer faster than light
In a modified experiment Nimtz could show then that also information can be
dispatched over light fast: It modulated its microwaves with the sounds of the
Mozarts' Symphonies No. 40 in g-Moll. Easily the chords in the receiver had
rushed perceptibly. I heard it with own ears: At that time I visited Nimtz in
its laboratory, in order to report on its innovative attempt. A new version of
its experiment it presented Einstein with the special exhibition „understands!
“, the federal state museum for technology and work in Mannheim to the Einstein
anniversary year 2005 organized. There the visitors themselves could make the
run displacement measurements.
Shortly thereafter similar messages came also from the USA. There, at the
University OF California in Berkeley, had created quantum optics professor
Raymond Chiao it according to own data, individual photons within the visible
range of the spectrum with trans-light velocity to tunnels. In July 2000 the
accomplished experiment of a working group more spectacularly still ran around
the physicist Lijun Wang of the NEC Research of institutes in Princeton. The
researchers sent laser pulses by a six centimeters long glass cell, which was
filled with cesium steam. The intensity maximum of the laser pulse would on the
way have been in the vacuum 0.2 nanoseconds. During the passage by the cesium
gas however the light withdrew 62 nanoseconds in former times from the chamber.
The meant according to Wang that the information left the chamber, before it had
at all gone in. The pulse rests with the 310-Fachen of the vacuum speed of light
by the test track.
Vacate without time?
Since the first publications over the excess of the cosmic speed limit the
researchers argue about the correct interpretation of the experiments. An
important question reads: Which meaning has "information “in the world of the
quanta? If no information was transmitted, the dispute would be groundless. But
with Mozart as demonstration object Günter Nimtz wanted to show that music -
thus an information signal - will transfer. According to its opinion
quantum-physical tunnels are "areas without time “, in which information moves
infinitely fast. Its experiment does not hurt under any circumstances the
general causality, after which the cause lies temporally before the effect,
probably however the Einstein causality, which forbids the over-light-fast
propagation of energy and information.
Other researchers have a more trivial explanation handy for the phenomenon. By
the tunnel effect, they argue, the form of the light wave packages due to
quantum effects are changed. When sending their energy rises, reaches a maximum
and drops symmetrically in addition again. In the tunnel this maximum one shift
forward. Since both transmitters and receivers register the maximum energy in
each case, emerge the signal in the receiver relative to the transmitter now in
former times, which only pretends a over-light-fast movement. The procedure can
be compared with the landing run of a paste: In some places it has bubbles,
which are pressed apart by the rolling pin and to develop again further in
front.
A question of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation
Again different one says, because of which one cannot decide Heisenberg
uncertainty relation, where the photon is exactly in the tunnel. And thus it
does not have a sense to measure at all a speed. United itself the physicists
are only in the fact that the trans-light velocity does not represent a
contradiction to causality. Also relativity theory is not hurt, since it refers
only to the speed of information in so-called inertial systems, not however in
tunnels. Albert Einstein would be thereby from the cutter.
There are over-light-fast phenomena nevertheless in nature. One of it is 'the
Einstein Podolsky rose effect “. Originally it was invented of Einstein and its
fellow combatants Boris Podolsky and Nathan roses as thought experiment, as
objection against the quantum theory, which was Einstein deeply suspect ("God
does not würfelt “). If two particles are brought with one another in contact
(), then quantum mechanics forecasts that on the one hand is indefinite
particular of the particles before the measurement the condition of everyone
(the value of the measured variable is not thus certain), is on the other hand
after measurement particle the state of the other particle fixed also
immediately. Spöttisch spoke the three quantum Skeptiker of "he spukhaften
action at a distance “.
"The spooky action at a distance “
But newest experiments to the so-called Quantenteleportation show free of doubts
that there is the effect: With a partner of a pair of verschränkter photons a
certain quantum state is measured, experiences “the partner in puzzling way of
it and takes presently/immediately, without time delay, which even if it is
distant for opposite condition in light-years. This confirms the quantum theory.
Einstein had wrongly. As "the spukhafte action at a distance functions “,
remained to today one of the large secrets of nature, even if quantum physicist
some complicated explanations invented.
Finally our universe owes its current form to a over-light-fast process.
Immediately after the Big Bang it stretched in the time between 10-33 and 10-30
seconds of its existence around the tremendous factor between 1030 and 1050out.
After this so-called inflation phase the range of the today visible universe had
a diameter of approximately 15 centimeters (which corresponds to a grapefruit)
up to a meter. Subsequently, the universe continued its expansion „normally “,
as it describes the standard Big Bang model. Was propelled the racing expansion
of a field, which a repulsive Kraft exercises. The cosmologists speak of "the
Inflatonfeld “.
Its tremendous Kraft drifted apart the universe far over light fast. Therefore
it contains of areas, from which we could receive so far no signals (light
waves). They lie seen from us behind the cosmic horizon. This theory is
supported by some astronomical observations, particularly by the measurement of
the cosmic microwave background radiation. Again the Einstein postulate is not
hurt, because it sets the upper limit of C only for the signal transmission
within the cosmos, not however for its movement as a whole.
Nature is obviously like us to humans. It set itself a speed limit, but with the
adherence to the same it does not take it always all too exactly.
End of one border to imagination!
The crossing of the speed limit of the light is a first in the history of the
humanity, which should open news and gigantic perspective new with modern
physics.
Doctor Günter Nimtz indicated besides that the process of comprehension of the
quantum tunnels is the most important aspect of quantum physics, and opens with
the capacity of the human brain.
This discovery remains however discussed, certain physicists for example
declared that the experiment would transmit only virtual packages of also
virtual photons, without transmitting information. The theory of Einstein on the
speed limit of the light would be thus safe.
On the other hand, if it appears exact, it could revolutionize well our
perception and comprehension of space and time, and why not open the door with
technologies which still remain in the field of the science fiction or fantastic
(like the voyages in time…?)
About The Researchers:
Günter Nimtz,
II. Physikalisches Institute
der Universität zu Köln
Zülpicher Straße 77
D-50937 Köln
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)221 470-3594, Fax: -2980
Mobile phone: +49 (0)171 7912291
Secretary's office: +49 (0)221 470-5819
Professor Dr. Alfons Stahlhofen
University of Koblenz Landau
CKoblenz, Landau
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