Experimental simulation of loop quantum gravity on a photonic chip

Abstract

The unification of general relativity and quantum theory is one of the fascinating problems of modern physics. One leading solution is Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). Simulating LQG may be important for providing predictions which can then be tested experimentally. However, such complex quantum simulations cannot run efficiently on classical computers, and quantum computers or simulators are needed. Here, we experimentally demonstrate quantum simulations of spinfoam amplitudes of LQG on an integrated photonics quantum processor. We simulate a basic transition of LQG and show that the derived spinfoam vertex amplitude falls within 4% error with respect to the theoretical prediction, despite experimental imperfections. We also discuss how to generalize the simulation for more complex transitions, in realistic experimental conditions, which will eventually lead to a quantum advantage demonstration as well as expand the toolbox to investigate LQG.

Photonic implementation of quantum gravity simulator

“…We finally note that the direction of this work is also aligned with recent research, 57,58 where linear optical platforms are used, Emanuele Polino received his PhD in 2020 from the Physics Department of Sapienza University of Rome. Then, he was a postdoc in the Physics Department of Sapienza University, working on photonic technologies for quantum foundations studies and quantum information tasks.…”