Tests of Quantum Gravity-Induced Non-Locality via Opto-mechanical Experiments

TL;DR

This paper investigates how optomechanical experiments can test quantum gravity-induced non-locality by analyzing the nonrelativistic limit of nonlocal modifications to the Klein-Gordon operator and proposing experimental strategies to detect extremely small non-locality scales.

Contribution

It provides a detailed perturbative analysis and simulation framework for detecting non-locality effects in quantum harmonic oscillators using optomechanical setups, including sensitivity considerations.

Findings

Constraints on nonlocality scale of 10^{-22} to 10^{-26} meters.

Methodology for detecting non-locality via quantum state squeezing.

Analysis of thermal decoherence effects on experimental sensitivity.

Abstract

The nonrelativistic limit of nonlocal modifications to the Klein Gordon operator is studied, and the experimental possibilities of casting stringent constraints on the nonlocality scale via planned and/or current optomechanical experiments are discussed. Details of the perturbative analysis and semianalitical simulations leading to the dynamical evolution of a quantum harmonic oscillator in the presence of non locality reported in [1], together with a comprehensive account of the experimental methodology with particular regard to sensitivity limitations related to thermal decoherence time and active cooling of the oscillator, are given. Finally, a strategy for detecting non-locality scales of the order of $10^{- 22} \div 10^{- 26}$ m by means of the spontaneous time periodic squeezing of quantum coherent states is provided.