The effect of entanglement in gravitational photon-photon scattering

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the polarization entanglement of photons influences their gravitational scattering cross section, with symmetric Bell states enhancing and anti-symmetric states reducing interaction strength, highlighting quantum interference effects.

Contribution

It reveals how photon entanglement affects gravitational scattering, a novel insight linking quantum entanglement with gravitational interactions.

Findings

Symmetric Bell state increases gravitational scattering cross section.

Anti-symmetric Bell state decreases gravitational scattering cross section.

Results interpreted through quantum interference and distance-dependent forces.

Abstract

The differential cross section for gravitational photon-photon scattering calculated in Perturbative Quantum Gravity is shown to depend on the degree of polarization entanglement of the two photons. The interaction between photons in the symmetric Bell state is stronger than between not entangled photons. In contrast, the interaction between photons in the anti-symmetric Bell state is weaker than between not entangled photons. The results are interpreted in terms of quantum interference, and it is shown how they fit into the idea of distance-dependent forces.