Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect

Abstract We investigate the effects of a gravitational wave background on the coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect of a uniformly accelerated single-qubit and quantum interferometric circuit. In both systems, we use the formalism of the evolution of the density matrix of the detector-fi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pedro H. M. Barros, Helder A. S. Costa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2024-12-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-13639-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832571365484396544
author Pedro H. M. Barros
Helder A. S. Costa
author_facet Pedro H. M. Barros
Helder A. S. Costa
author_sort Pedro H. M. Barros
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We investigate the effects of a gravitational wave background on the coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect of a uniformly accelerated single-qubit and quantum interferometric circuit. In both systems, we use the formalism of the evolution of the density matrix of the detector-field system, where after the interaction the field degrees of freedom are traced out to obtain the reduced density matrix of the detector. In this background, we calculate the quantum coherence and interferometric visibility in the long-wavelength regime and large interaction time. Our results indicate that the gravitational wave transfers energy to the internal states of the detector, causing, together with the Unruh effect, changes in them, amplifying the coherence degradation of the system. This amplification occurs when the polarization modes of the gravitational wave are in resonance and have modulated amplitudes. For the case of a short-wavelength, the detector does not respond to the gravitational wave because its oscillation is so fast that the detector does not have time to respond within the system timescale. Therefore, it is possible to detect the signature of gravitational waves in the coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect within the regimes studied here.
format Article
id doaj-art-354aa4e5d1ae432fabb67d09aff2139d
institution Kabale University
issn 1434-6052
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
spelling doaj-art-354aa4e5d1ae432fabb67d09aff2139d2025-02-02T12:39:42ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522024-12-01841211110.1140/epjc/s10052-024-13639-zDetecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effectPedro H. M. Barros0Helder A. S. Costa1Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do PiauíDepartamento de Física, Universidade Federal do PiauíAbstract We investigate the effects of a gravitational wave background on the coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect of a uniformly accelerated single-qubit and quantum interferometric circuit. In both systems, we use the formalism of the evolution of the density matrix of the detector-field system, where after the interaction the field degrees of freedom are traced out to obtain the reduced density matrix of the detector. In this background, we calculate the quantum coherence and interferometric visibility in the long-wavelength regime and large interaction time. Our results indicate that the gravitational wave transfers energy to the internal states of the detector, causing, together with the Unruh effect, changes in them, amplifying the coherence degradation of the system. This amplification occurs when the polarization modes of the gravitational wave are in resonance and have modulated amplitudes. For the case of a short-wavelength, the detector does not respond to the gravitational wave because its oscillation is so fast that the detector does not have time to respond within the system timescale. Therefore, it is possible to detect the signature of gravitational waves in the coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect within the regimes studied here.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-13639-z
spellingShingle Pedro H. M. Barros
Helder A. S. Costa
Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
title_full Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
title_fullStr Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
title_full_unstemmed Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
title_short Detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the Unruh effect
title_sort detecting gravitational waves via coherence degradation induced by the unruh effect
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-13639-z
work_keys_str_mv AT pedrohmbarros detectinggravitationalwavesviacoherencedegradationinducedbytheunruheffect
AT helderascosta detectinggravitationalwavesviacoherencedegradationinducedbytheunruheffect