Gravitational time dilation as a resource in quantum sensing

TL;DR

This paper explores how gravitational time dilation can be utilized as a resource to improve the precision of quantum sensing measurements, specifically in atomic clock interferometers, by leveraging both path and clock degrees of freedom.

Contribution

It demonstrates that gravitational time dilation can enhance gravitational acceleration estimation precision in quantum interferometers, introducing a novel resource in quantum information processing.

Findings

Gravitational time dilation can improve measurement precision in quantum interferometers.

Using both path and clock degrees of freedom enhances quantum sensing capabilities.

The approach applies to freely falling and Mach-Zehnder interferometers.

Abstract

Atomic clock interferometers are a valuable tool to test the interface between quantum theory and gravity, in particular via the measurement of gravitational time dilation in the quantum regime. Here, we investigate whether gravitational time dilation may be also used as a resource in quantum information theory. In particular, we show that for a freely falling interferometer and for a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the gravitational time dilation may enhance the precision in estimating the gravitational acceleration for long interferometric times. To this aim, the interferometric measurements should be performed on both the path and the clock degrees of freedom.