Quantum gravitational contrast in creating Schrödinger cat state

In this paper, we illustrate how a Schrödinger cat state created via a matter-wave interferometer can be viewed as the simplest quantum-gravity setup where we can treat both matter and gravity on an equal footing at a perturbative level. Here we treat Einstein's theory of general relativity using an effective field theory approach, quantising the massless spin-2 graviton in the presence of a quantum spatial superposition of matter that creates a matter-wave interferometer in the non-relativistic limit. We show that due to the matter-graviton coupling the graviton vacuum is displaced analogous to the coherent state. We study the contrast/overlap between the coherent states of the left and right superpositions in the matter-wave interferometer. We also study the entanglement between matter and the graviton in this setup and relate it to a gravitational contrast, or the overlap of the quantum geometries led by the coherent states. In the appendix, we provide an example of a time-dependent harmonic oscillator and study the contrast/overlap of such coherent states of the graviton.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
Published
2026-10-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/dkq1-kbs5
Primary Topic
Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Quantum gravitational contrast in creating Schrödinger cat state

Anupam Mazumdar, Tian Zhou
Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories
article

Quantum gravitational contrast in creating Schrödinger cat state

Anupam Mazumdar, Tian Zhou
article en

Abstract

In this paper, we illustrate how a Schrödinger cat state created via a matter-wave interferometer can be viewed as the simplest quantum-gravity setup where we can treat both matter and gravity on an equal footing at a perturbative level. Here we treat Einstein's theory of general relativity using an effective field theory approach, quantising the massless spin-2 graviton in the presence of a quantum spatial superposition of matter that creates a matter-wave interferometer in the non-relativistic limit. We show that due to the matter-graviton coupling the graviton vacuum is displaced analogous to the coherent state. We study the contrast/overlap between the coherent states of the left and right superpositions in the matter-wave interferometer. We also study the entanglement between matter and the graviton in this setup and relate it to a gravitational contrast, or the overlap of the quantum geometries led by the coherent states. In the appendix, we provide an example of a time-dependent harmonic oscillator and study the contrast/overlap of such coherent states of the graviton.

Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, China Scholarship Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 64%
Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.