arXiv subjects

Magdalena Zych

Publications and source records attributed to Magdalena Zych.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Schrödinger's Black Hole Cat

In the absence of a fully-fledged theory of quantum gravity, we propose a "bottom-up" framework for exploring quantum-gravitational physics by pairing two of the most fundamental concepts of quantum theory and general relativity, namely quantum superposition and spacetime. We show how to describe such "spacetime superpositions" and explore effects they induce upon quantum matter. Our approach capitalizes on standard tools of quantum field theory in curved space, and allows us to calculate physical observables like transition probabilities for a particle detector residing in curvature-superposed de Sitter spacetime, or outside a mass-superposed black hole. Crucially, such scenarios represent genuine quantum superpositions of spacetimes, in contrast with superpositions of metrics which only differ by a coordinate transformation and thus are not different according to general relativity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Quantum superpositions of Minkowski spacetime

Within any anticipated unifying theory of quantum gravity, it should be meaningful to combine the fundamental notions of quantum superposition and spacetime to obtain so-called "spacetime superpositions": that is, quantum superpositions of different spacetimes not related by a global coordinate transformation. Here we consider the quantum-gravitational effects produced by superpositions of periodically identified Minkowski spacetime (i.e.\ Minkowski spacetime with a periodic boundary condition) with different characteristic lengths. By coupling relativistic quantum matter to fields on such a spacetime background (which we model using the Unruh-deWitt particle detector model), we are able to show how one can in-principle "measure" the field-theoretic effects produced by such a spacetime. We show that the detector's response exhibits discontinuous resonances at rational ratios of the superposed periodic length scale.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Constraining the number of fundamental quantum degrees of freedom using gravity

We consider the effect of gravity on extended quantum systems (EQS) in the low energy regime. We model the gravitational effect due to a nearby source mass as a redshift in the internal Hamiltonian of the EQS. Due to the dependence of the energy spectrum of the EQS on the position of the massive particle (via the redshift) at zero temperature, our model predicts gravitational decoherence of the massive particle in the position basis. We show that the decoherence effect is multiplicative, in the sense that the increase in number of EQS gravitationally interacting with a single massive particle leads to an increase in its decoherence. If the considered model of gravitational redshift holds alongside the linearity of quantum mechanics (as an appropriate limit of an accepted theory for coupling quantum matter with gravity) to allow for a spatial superposition of the source mass, we propose that the same methodology can be applied to continuous fields, which are essentially EQS. This could provide an upper limit on the number of undiscovered fields by observing coherent superpositions of masses, e.g., in a matter wave interferometer. Besides, by taking a spin chain as a toy model of an EQS, we analyse the dependence of the new effect on relevant system parameters and identify the number of independent spin chains that can cause a detectable effect.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Mass-energy equivalence in gravitationally bound quantum states of the neutron

Gravitationally bound neutrons have become an important tool in the experimental searches for new physics, such as modifications to Newton's force or candidates for dark matter particles. Here we include the relativistic effects of mass-energy equivalence into the model of gravitationally bound neutrons. Specifically, we investigate a correction in a gravitationally bound neutron's Hamiltonian due to the presence of an external magnetic field. We show that the neutron's additional weight due to mass-energy equivalence will cause a small shift in the neutron's eigenenergies and eigenstates, and examine how this relativistic correction would affect experiments with trapped neutrons. We further consider the ultimate precision in estimating the relativistic correction to the precession frequency and find that, at short times, a joint measurement of both the spin and motional degrees of freedom provides a metrological enhancement as compared to a measurement of the spin alone.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantized mass-energy effects in an Unruh-DeWitt detector

A simple but powerful particle detector model consists of a two-level system coupled to a field, where the detected particles are the field excitations. This is known as the Unruh-DeWitt detector. Research using this model has often focused on either a completely classical description of the external degrees of freedom of the detector, or a full field-theoretic treatment, where the detector itself is described as a field. Recently there has been much interest in quantum aspects of the detector's center of mass -- either described as moving in superposition along semiclassical trajectories, or dynamically evolving under a non-relativistic Hamiltonian. However, the processes of interest -- the absorption or emission of field particles -- necessarily change the detector's rest mass by the amount of energy of the absorbed or emitted field quanta. Neither of the above models can capture such effects. Here we incorporate the quantization of the detector's mass-energy into the Unruh-DeWitt model. We show that internal energy changes due to emission or absorption are relevant even in the lowest energy limit. Specifically, corrections to transition rates due to the detector's mass changing cannot be ignored unless the entire center of mass dynamics is also ignored. Our results imply that one cannot have a consistent model of the Unruh-DeWitt detector as a massive particle without including the mass-energy equivalence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Indefinite temporal order without gravity

According to the general theory of relativity, time can flow at different rates depending on the configuration of massive objects, affecting the temporal order of events. Recent research has shown that, combined with quantum theory, this gravitational effect can result in events with an indefinite temporal order, which can be tested through the violation of Bell-type inequalities. According to Einstein, we shall assume physical equivalence of a uniform gravitational field and a corresponding acceleration of a reference system. Here we construct a non-gravitational scenario where accelerating particles interacting with optical cavities result in a violation of the temporal Bell inequalities analogous to the gravitational case. However, we find that the inequalities can also be violated by time-like events, exposing an ambiguity in their use as a theory-independent test of indefinite temporal order.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Experimental entanglement of temporal order

The study of causal relations has recently been applied to the quantum realm, leading to the discovery that not all physical processes have a definite causal structure. While indefinite causal processes have previously been experimentally shown, these proofs relied on the quantum description of the experiments. Yet, the same experimental data could also be compatible with definite causal structures within different descriptions. Here, we present the first demonstration of indefinite temporal order outside of quantum formalism. We show that our experimental outcomes are incompatible with a class of generalised probabilistic theories satisfying the assumptions of locality and definite temporal order. To this end, we derive physical constraints (in the form of a Bell-like inequality) on experimental outcomes within such a class of theories. We then experimentally invalidate these theories by violating the inequality using entangled temporal order. This provides experimental evidence that there exist correlations in nature which are incompatible with the assumptions of locality and definite temporal order.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Thermality, causality and the quantum-controlled Unruh-deWitt detector

Particle detector models such as the Unruh-deWitt detector are widely used in relativistic quantum information and field theory to probe the global features of spacetime and quantum fields. These detectors are typically modelled as coupling locally to the field along a classical worldline. In this paper, we utilize a recent framework which enables us to prepare the detector in a quantum-controlled superposition of trajectories, and study its response to the field in finite-temperature Minkowski spacetime and an expanding de Sitter universe. Unlike a detector on a classical path which cannot distinguish these spacetimes, the superposed detector can do so by acquiring nonlocal information about the geometric and causal structure of its environment, demonstrating its capability as a probe of these global properties.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Effect of environment on the interferometry of clocks

Quantum interference of "clocks", namely of particles with time-evolving internal degrees of freedom (DOFs), is a promising avenue to test genuine general relativistic effects in quantum systems. The clock acquires which path information while experiencing different proper times on traversing the arms of the interferometer, leading to a drop in its path visibility. We consider scenarios where the clock is subject to environmental noise as it transits through the interferometer. In particular, we develop a generalized formulation of interferometric visibility affected by noise on the clock. We find that, for small noise and small proper time difference between the arms, the noise further reduces the visibility, while in more general situations it can either increase or reduce the visibility. As an example, we investigate the effect of a thermal environment constituted by a single field mode and show that the visibility drops further as the temperature is increased. Additionally, by considering noise models based on standard quantum channels, we show that interferometric visibility can increase or decrease depending on the type of noise and also the time scale and transition probabilities. The quantification of the effect of noise on the visibility -- particularly in the case of a thermal environment paves the way for a better estimate on the expected outcome in an actual experiment.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Telefilters, telemirrors, and causality

We present new theoretical models for quantum optical mode-selective filters and mirrors using continuous-variable teleportation. We call these devices telefilters and telemirrors respectively. Both devices act as the identity channel on a mode of interest from an input multi-mode field while filtering or reflecting all the orthogonal modes. We utilise these models to analyse a causality problem in relativistic quantum optics, specifically the apparently acausal transmission and propagation of temporally delocalised wavepackets through mode-selective mirrors. Firstly, we show how telemirrors - and thus mode-selective operations generally - enact a fundamental time-delay on such wavepackets, which is necessary in order to prevent violations of causality. In an attempt to circumvent this delay, we next consider teleporting the independent temporal components of the input field separately and continuously, that is, performing operations on-the-run. In this scenario, the telemirror transmits the mode of interest as well as orthogonal modes which carry with them uncorrelated noise. In this scenario, the device may be considered mode-discriminating but not mode-selective.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Schrödinger's cat for de Sitter spacetime

Quantum gravity is expected to contain descriptions of semiclassical spacetime geometries in quantum superpositions. To date, no framework for modelling such superpositions has been devised. Here, we provide a new phenomenological description for the response of quantum probes (i.e. Unruh-deWitt detectors) on a spacetime manifold in quantum superposition. By introducing an additional control degree of freedom, one can assign a Hilbert space to the spacetime, allowing it to exist in a superposition of spatial or curvature states. Applying this approach to static de Sitter space, we discover scenarios in which the effects produced by the quantum spacetime are operationally indistinguishable from those induced by superpositions of Rindler trajectories in Minkowski spacetime. The distinguishability of such quantum spacetimes from superpositions of trajectories in flat space reduces to the equivalence or non-equivalence of the field correlations between the superposed amplitudes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Entanglement amplification between superposed detectors in flat and curved spacetimes

We consider an entanglement harvesting protocol between two Unruh-deWitt detectors in quantum superpositions of static trajectories in the static de Sitter and thermal Minkowski spacetimes. We demonstrate for the first time that the spatial superposition of each detector's path allows entanglement to be harvested from the quantum field in regimes where it would be otherwise impossible for detectors on classical trajectories. Surprisingly, for detectors on sufficiently delocalised trajectories in a thermal bath, the amount of harvested entanglement grows with the temperature of the field, violating a no-go theorem derived by Simidzija et. al. (Phys. Rev. D 98, 085007). We also discover interesting effects for mutual information harvesting, which depends sensitively on the nonlocal correlations between the superposed trajectories between the paths of the respective detectors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantum Temporal Superposition: the case of QFT

Quantum field theory is completely characterized by the field correlations between spacetime points. In turn, some of these can be accessed by locally coupling to the field simple quantum systems, a.k.a. particle detectors. In this work, we consider what happens when a quantum-controlled superposition of detectors at different space-time points is used to probe the correlations of the field. We show that, due to quantum interference effects, two detectors can gain information on field correlations which would not be otherwise accessible. This has relevant consequences for information theoretic quantities, like entanglement and mutual information harvested from the field. In particular, the quantum control allows for extraction of entanglement in scenarios where this is otherwise provably impossible.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Composite particles with minimum uncertainty in spacetime

Composite particles---atoms, molecules, or microspheres---are unique tools for testing joint quantum and general relativistic effects, macroscopic limits of quantum mechanics, and searching for new physics. However, all studies of the free propagation of these particles find that they delocalise into separate internal energy components, destroying their spatial coherence. This renders them unsuitable for experimental applications, as well as theoretical studies where they are used as idealised test masses or clocks. Here we solve this problem by introducing a new class of states with minimal uncertainty in space-time that fully overcome the delocalisation. The relevant physics comes from minimising the uncertainty between position and velocity, rather than position and momentum, while directly accounting for mass as an operator. Our results clarify the nature of composite particles, providing a currently missing theoretical tool with direct relevance for studies of joint foundations of quantum and relativistic phenomena, which removes a roadblock that could limit near-future quantum tests using composite particles.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Generating multi-partite entanglement from the quantum vacuum with a finite-lifetime mirror

Observers following special classes of finite-lifetime trajectories have been shown to experience an effective temperature, a generalisation of the Unruh temperature for uniformly accelerated observers. We consider a mirror following such a trajectory - and is hence localised to a strictly bounded causal diamond - that perfectly reflects incoming field modes. We find that inertial observers in the Minkowski vacuum detect particles along the half null-rays at the beginning and end of the mirror's lifetime. These particle distributions exhibit multi-partite entanglement, which reveals novel structure within the vacuum correlations. The interaction is modelled using a non-perturbative circuit model and does not suffer from energy divergences.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Bell's Theorem for Temporal Order

Time has a fundamentally different character in quantum mechanics and in general relativity. In quantum theory events unfold in a fixed time order while in general relativity temporal order is influenced by the distribution of matter. When the distribution of matter requires a quantum description, temporal order is expected to become non-classical -- a scenario beyond the scope of current theories. Here we provide a direct description of such a scenario. We consider a massive body in a spatial superposition and show how it leads to "entanglement" of temporal orders between time-like events in the resulting space-time. This entanglement enables accomplishing a task, violation of a Bell inequality, that is impossible under classical temporal order. Violation of the inequality means that temporal order becomes non-classical -- it cannot be described by locally defined classical variables. Our approach provides a quantitative method for investigating quantum aspects of space-time and gravity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nanomechanical test of quantum linearity

Spontaneous wavefunction collapse theories provide the possibility to resolve the measurement problem of quantum mechanics. However, the best experimental tests have been limited by thermal fluctuations and have operated at frequencies far below those conjectured to allow the physical origins of collapse to be identified. Here we propose to use high-frequency nanomechanical resonators to surpass these limitations. We consider a specific implementation that uses a quantum optomechanical system cooled to near its motional ground state. The scheme combines phonon counting with efficient mitigation of technical noise, including non-linear photon conversion and photon coincidence counting. It is capable of resolving the exquisitely small phonon fluxes required for a conclusive test of collapse models as well as potentially identifying their physical origin.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Reversible time travel with freedom of choice

General relativity allows for the existence of closed time-like curves, along which a material object could travel back in time and interact with its past self. This possibility raises the question whether certain initial conditions, or more generally local operations, lead to inconsistencies and should thus be forbidden. Here we consider the most general deterministic dynamics connecting classical degrees of freedom defined on a set of bounded space-time regions, requiring that it is compatible with arbitrary operations performed in the local regions. We find that any such dynamics can be realised through reversible interactions. We further find that consistency with local operations is compatible with non-trivial time travel: Three parties can interact in such a way to be all both in the future and in the past of each other, while being free to perform arbitrary local operations.

gr-qc↗