Probing the quantum nature of gravity using gravitational wave detection technologies
by
Tsung-Dao Lee Institute/N6F-N600 - Lecture Room
Tsung-Dao Lee Institute
Host: Zhen Pan
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Abstract:
Testing the quantum nature of the gravitational field remains a pivotal challenge in modern physics. While general relativity treats gravity as a classical phenomenon, quantum mechanics demands that all fundamental interactions exhibit quantum behavior at some scale. Resolving this tension requires empirical evidence, yet providing experimental evidence for the quantum nature of gravity remains elusive. Recent advances in gravitational wave detection (LIGO/Virgo) and quantum optomechanics have opened new pathways to test the quantumness of gravity using macroscopic quantum systems. In this talk, I will review key theoretical proposals from the LIGO and optomechanics communities that leverage these technologies to probe the quantum nature of gravity—such as entanglement generation mediated by gravity or the classical self-gravity effect of a quantum massive object.
A critical consideration in such experiments is the role of quantum measurement backaction, which may fundamentally alter the phenomenology of semi-classical gravity theories (e.g., stochastic or collapse models). I will discuss how measurement-induced effects could mask, mimic, or even enhance signatures of quantum gravity, and explore their implications for near-future experiments. By confronting these challenges, we aim to delineate the experimental requirements for conclusively testing whether gravity must be quantized.
Biography:
Yiqiu Ma is a professor in the Center for Gravitational Experiments, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He received his Ph.D degree from the University of Western Australia on gravitational wave detection, then he spent his postdoc time at the California Institute of Technology before he joined HUST. His research covers topics on gravitational wave sources, gravitational wave detection technology, and quantum high-precision measurement.
