Vacuum condensate, geometric phase, Unruh effect and temperature measurement

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationship between vacuum condensates, geometric phases, and the Unruh effect, proposing interferometric methods for detecting acceleration-induced thermal phenomena and precise temperature measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel connection between vacuum condensation and geometric phases in nonunitary systems, and proposes interferometric experiments to observe the Unruh effect.

Findings

Vacuum condensation relates to geometric phases in mixed states.

Proposed Mach-Zehnder interferometers can detect the Unruh effect.

Method enables precise temperature measurements in accelerated systems.

Abstract

In our previous work it has been shown the possibility to use the Aharonov-Anandan invariant as a tool in the analysis of disparate systems, including Hawking and Unruh effects, as well as graphene physics and thermal states. We show that the vacuum condensation, characterizing such systems, is also related with geometric phases and we analyze the properties of the geometric phase of systems represented by mixed state and undergoing a nonunitary evolution. In particular, we consider two level atoms accelerated by an external potential and interacting with a thermal state. We propose the realization of Mach-Zehnder interferometers which can prove the existence of the Unruh effect and can allow very precise measurements of temperature.