New Frontiers at the Interface of General Relativity and Quantum Optics

Abstract

In the present paper we follow three major themes: (i) concepts of rotation in general relativity, (ii) effects induced by these generalized rotations, and (iii) their measurement using interferometry. Our journey takes us from the Foucault pendulum via the Sagnac interferometer to manifestations of gravito-magnetism in double binary pulsars and in Gödel's Universe. Throughout our article we emphasize the emerging role of matter wave interferometry based on cold atoms or Bose-Einstein condensates leading to superior inertial sensors. In particular, we advertise recent activities directed towards the operation of a coherent matter wave interferometer in an extended free fall.

A test of general relativity using the LARES and LAGEOS satellites and a GRACE Earth gravity model

“…Successful tests [8,9,10] of effects and phenomena predicted by GR include the well known perihelion precession of Mercury (and in general the periastron advance of an orbiting body), the equivalence principle and the time-dilation of clocks in a gravitational field, the deflection and time-delay of electromagnetic waves by a mass, the dynamics of the Moon, accurately measured by Lunar Laser Ranging and of binary pulsars [19,20,21], gravitational lensing and other relevant astrophysical observations. Gravitational waves have been indirectly observed at the level predicted by GR from the rate of change of the orbital period of the binary pulsar PSR B1913+16 [19].…”

Visualization of the Gödel universe

“…Therefore, our intention is to bridge the gap between the pure mathematical description of Gödel's universe and the wish of the reader for Anschaulichkeit. We present a series of detailed illustrations and visualizations in the spirit of [22][23][24] to bring out the space-time structure and the compelling optical properties arising from the curvature of this specific cosmological model. Our particular interest is in the visual perception of a time travelling object that moves along a CTC in Gödel's universe.…”

Photon polarization and geometric phase in general relativity

“…One of the branches of quantum information is quantum metrology, which aims to improve precision measurements by using explicitly quantum effects, such as entanglement [13]. Relativistic properties of the information carriers [14,15] become important when quantum technology is used in precision tests of relativity [16] or quantum information processing on the orbit [17].…”