Summary
Quantum mechanics is a leading success story in science, originally devised to explain matter and energy at the atomic scale. Quantum superpositions and entanglement can produce distinct phenomena unseen in classical physics. Rather recently, such effects have been shown to hold also for macroscopic degrees of freedom, including the motion of somewhat massive objects. However, despite its success at describing phenomena in the low-energy limit, quantum mechanics is incompatible with general relativity that describes gravity and huge energies. The interface between these two has remained experimentally elusive, because only the most violent events in the universe have been considered to produce measurable effects due to the plausible quantum behavior of gravity. Here, we will probe the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity at an unprecedented scale by taking advantage of coupling of microwave fields in cavities and the oscillations of massive micromechanical membranes. We will measure the gravitational force between gold particles weighing a milligram, representing a new mass scale showing gravitational forces within a system. The main goal is to determine the effect of gravity on the quantum evolution of a massive object. We will develop strong quantum measurements in order to reach a situation where the positions of the gravitating masses exhibit significant quantum fluctuations, which includes preparing the gravitating masses in the ground state and in a squeezed state. Our recent work showing mechanical quantum entanglement [Nature 556, 478 (2018)] enables a fascinating goal. With the two oscillators in a two-mode squeezed state, we will create a system that exhibits nonlocal quantum correlations and gravity at the same time, paving the way for directly testing quantum gravity. The project also contributes to technological advances in precision measurements and in quantum information.
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| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101019712 |
| Start date: | 01-10-2021 |
| End date: | 30-09-2026 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | 2 499 033,00 Euro - 2 499 033,00 Euro |
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Original description
Quantum mechanics is a leading success story in science, originally devised to explain matter and energy at the atomic scale. Quantum superpositions and entanglement can produce distinct phenomena unseen in classical physics. Rather recently, such effects have been shown to hold also for macroscopic degrees of freedom, including the motion of somewhat massive objects. However, despite its success at describing phenomena in the low-energy limit, quantum mechanics is incompatible with general relativity that describes gravity and huge energies. The interface between these two has remained experimentally elusive, because only the most violent events in the universe have been considered to produce measurable effects due to the plausible quantum behavior of gravity. Here, we will probe the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity at an unprecedented scale by taking advantage of coupling of microwave fields in cavities and the oscillations of massive micromechanical membranes. We will measure the gravitational force between gold particles weighing a milligram, representing a new mass scale showing gravitational forces within a system. The main goal is to determine the effect of gravity on the quantum evolution of a massive object. We will develop strong quantum measurements in order to reach a situation where the positions of the gravitating masses exhibit significant quantum fluctuations, which includes preparing the gravitating masses in the ground state and in a squeezed state. Our recent work showing mechanical quantum entanglement [Nature 556, 478 (2018)] enables a fascinating goal. With the two oscillators in a two-mode squeezed state, we will create a system that exhibits nonlocal quantum correlations and gravity at the same time, paving the way for directly testing quantum gravity. The project also contributes to technological advances in precision measurements and in quantum information.Status
SIGNEDCall topic
ERC-2020-ADGUpdate Date
27-04-2024
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