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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Measuring space-time curvature using maximally path-entangled quantum states

Thomas B. Mieling1,2,3, Christopher Hilweg2,3, and Philip Walther2,3

  • 1University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics and Vienna Doctoral School in Physics (VDSP), Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
  • 2University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
  • 3University of Vienna, Research Platform for Testing the Quantum and Gravity Interface (TURIS), Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria

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Phys. Rev. A 106, L031701 – Published 26 September, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.106.L031701

Abstract

Experiments at the interface of quantum field theory and general relativity would greatly benefit theoretical research towards their unification. The gravitational aspects of quantum experiments performed so far can be explained either within Newtonian gravity or by Einstein's equivalence principle. Here, we describe a way to measure components of the Riemann curvature tensor with maximally path-entangled quantum states of light. We show that the entanglement-induced increase in sensitivity also holds for gravitationally induced phases in Mach-Zehnder interferometers. As a result, the height difference between the two interferometer arms necessary to rule out flat space-time by measuring gravity gradients can be significantly reduced.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. A 106, L031701– Published 26 September, 2022
  • Received 28 February 2022
  • Accepted 8 September 2022
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