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arXiv · 2601.20553

Gravitational wave detection via photon-graviton scattering and quantum interference

K. Hari·S. Shankaranarayanan
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Abstract

We present a fully quantum field-theoretic framework for gravitational wave (GW) detection in which the interaction is described as photon-graviton scattering. In this picture, the GW acts as a coherent background that induces inelastic energy exchanges with the electromagnetic field - analogous to the Stokes and anti-Stokes shifts in Raman spectroscopy. We propose a detection scheme sensitive to this microscopic mechanism based on Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. We show that the scattering-induced phase shifts render frequency-entangled photon pairs distinguishable, spoiling their destructive quantum interference. GW signal is thus encoded in the modulation of photon coincidence rates rather than classical field intensity, offering a complementary quantum probe of the gravitational universe that recovers the standard classical response in the macroscopic limit.

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K. Hari, S. Shankaranarayanan. 2026-01-28. Gravitational wave detection via photon-graviton scattering and quantum interference. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.20553

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