Dephasing and inhibition of spin interference from semi-classical self-gravitation

TL;DR

This paper develops a model using semi-classical gravity to analyze how self-gravitation affects spin interference, proposing that spin interferometry could be a practical method to test quantum gravity effects.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed semi-classical gravity model with spin states and magnetic fields, highlighting a potentially more feasible experimental approach to quantum gravity testing.

Findings

Self-gravitation causes dephasing in spin interference.

Spin interferometry may enable testing quantum gravity.

Proposed method could outperform previous experimental proposals.

Abstract

We present a detailed derivation of a model to study effects of self-gravitation from semi-classical gravity, described by the Schr\"odinger-Newton equation, employing spin superposition states in inhomogeneous magnetic fields, as proposed recently for experiments searching for gravity induced entanglement. Approximations for the experimentally relevant limits are discussed. Results suggest that spin interferometry could provide a more accessible route towards an experimental test of quantum aspects of gravity than both previous proposals to test semi-classical gravity and the observation of gravitational spin entanglement.