Gravity Mediated Entanglement between Oscillators as Quantum Superposition of Geometries

Abstract

Protocols for observing gravity induced entanglement typically comprise the interaction of two particles prepared either in a superposition of two discrete paths, or in a continuously delocalized (harmonic oscillator) state of motion. An important open question has been whether these two different approaches allow to draw the same conclusions on the quantum nature of gravity. To answer this question, we analyse using the path-integral approach a setup that contains both features: a superposition of two highly delocalized center of mass states. We conclude that the two usual protocols are of similar epistemological relevance. In both cases the appearance of entanglement, within linearised quantum gravity, is due to gravity being in a highly non-classical state: a superposition of distinct geometries.

arXiv comment5 + 2 pages, + Mathematica Notebooks

References in corpus (23)

• Cavity Optomechanics
• A Spin Entanglement Witness for Quantum Gravity
• Gravitationally-induced entanglement between two massive particles is sufficient evidence of quantum effects in gravity
• Mechanical systems in the quantum regime
• Levitodynamics: Levitation and control of microscopic objects in vacuum
• IBM Q Experience as a versatile experimental testbed for simulating open quantum systems
• Quantum Superposition of Massive Objects and the Quantization of Gravity
• New Test of the Gravitational $1/r^2$ Law at Separations down to 52 $\mu$m
• On the possibility of laboratory evidence for quantum superposition of geometries
• Gravitationally Mediated Entanglement: Newtonian Field vs. Gravitons
• A micromechanical proof-of-principle experiment for measuring the gravitational force of milligram masses
• Decoherence effects in non-classicality tests of gravity
• A no-go theorem on the nature of the gravitational field beyond quantum theory
• Experiments testing macroscopic quantum superpositions must be slow
• Information Content of the Gravitational Field of a Quantum Superposition
• Witnessing non-classicality beyond quantum theory
• What gravity mediated entanglement can really tell us about quantum gravity
• Gravity entanglement, quantum reference systems, degrees of freedom
• Gravitational effects in macroscopic quantum systems: a first-principles analysis
• Prospects for observing gravitational forces between nonclassical mechanical oscillators
• Gravitational Harmonium: Gravitationally Induced Entanglement in a Harmonic Trap
• Generalized Entanglement Measure for Continuous Variable Systems
• Photonic Implementation of Quantum Gravity Simulator

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Classical theories of gravity produce entanglement
• Indefinite causal order and quantum coordinates
• Newton's laws of motion generating gravity-mediated entanglement
• A spacetime-covariant approach to inertial and accelerated quantum clocks in first-quantization
• Angular Momentum Entanglement Mediated By General Relativistic Frame Dragging
• When does entanglement through gravity imply gravitons?