Improving Gravitationally Induced Entanglement in Interferometric Configurations

Abstract:Proposals to detect gravitationally induced entanglement between massive particles offer a promising pathway toward probing the quantum nature of gravity. We perform a systematic geometric optimization and comparative analysis of Stern--Gerlach (SG) and Mach--Zehnder (MZ) matter-wave interferometers for this purpose, deriving exact analytical expressions for the gravitational phase of each configuration. Our first key result is that geometric optimization is indispensable. For commonly assumed experimental parameters, neglecting the optimization of geometric ratios can suppress the accumulated phase, and hence the detectability of entanglement, by up to several orders of magnitude. Second, we provide a complete comparative analysis of two SG orientations (linear and parallel) and three MZ orientations (translation-symmetric, mirror-symmetric, and parallel-arms). The parallel-arms SG and MZ configurations tend to yield the largest phase accumulations and are nearly equivalent in performance, whereas the translation-symmetric MZ setup exhibits destructive-interference nulls that act as blind operating points where detection becomes ineffective. These observations highlight the importance of geometry-aware design. A Monte Carlo error analysis of realistic fabrication tolerances indicates that the parallel-arms configurations are generally more robust, maintaining low relative phase uncertainty over broad parameter intervals. Furthermore, an evaluation of Bell violations assesses the feasibility and signal-to-noise ratio of each configuration. Our results identify geometric optimization, particularly through parallel-arms designs, as an important consideration for near-term experiments targeting gravitationally induced entanglement.

arXiv:2611.07153 [quant-ph]

(or arXiv:2611.07153v1 [quant-ph] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2611.07153 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

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