Detectability of post-Newtonian classical and quantum gravity via quantum clock interferometry

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theoretical experimental scheme using quantum clock interferometry to detect post-Newtonian gravitational effects, like frame dragging, on quantum systems, aiming to bridge quantum mechanics and general relativity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel setup sensitive to post-Newtonian effects, specifically frame dragging, and explores gravity-induced entanglement in quantum systems, advancing experimental approaches in quantum gravity.

Findings

Setup is insensitive to Newtonian gravity but sensitive to frame dragging.

Scheme can test the quantum equivalence principle.

Predicted effects are currently too small for detection.

Abstract

Understanding physical phenomena at the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity remains a major challenge in modern physics. While various experimental approaches have been proposed to probe quantum systems in curved spacetime, most focus on the Newtonian regime, leaving post-Newtonian effects such as frame dragging largely unexplored. In this study, we propose and theoretically analyze an experimental scheme to investigate how post-Newtonian gravity affects quantum systems. We consider two setups: (i) a quantum clock interferometry setup designed to detect the gravitational field of a rotating mass, and (ii) a scheme exploring whether such effects could be used to generate gravity-induced entanglement. Due to the symmetry of the configuration, the proposed setup is insensitive to Newtonian gravitational contributions but remains sensitive to the frame-dragging effect. Furthermore, our scheme allows for testing whether the observed gravity-induced entanglement is consistent with the quantum equivalence principle. While the predicted effects appear too small to detect with current technology, our scheme offers a starting point for future experiments probing post-Newtonian quantum gravitational effects.