A quantum physics experiment at the University of Vienna achieved groundbreaking precision in measuring Earth’s rotation using entangled photons.
The study utilizes an enhanced optical Sagnac interferometer that leverages quantum entanglement to detect rotational effects with unprecedented precision, offering potential breakthroughs in both quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Pioneering Quantum Experiment
A team of researchers carried out a pioneering experiment where they measured the effect of the rotation of Earth on quantum entangled photons. The work, led by Philip Walther at the University of Vienna, was just published in the journal
Quantum Entanglement Enhances Sensitivity
Interferometers employing quantum entanglement have the potential to break those bounds. If two or more particles are entangled, only the overall state is known, while the state of the individual particle remains undetermined until measurement. This can be used to obtain more information per measurement than would be possible without it. However, the promised quantum leap in sensitivity has been hindered by the extremely delicate nature of entanglement.
Here is where the Vienna experiment made the difference. They built a giant optical fiber Sagnac interferometer and kept the noise low and stable for several hours. This enabled the detection of enough high-quality entangled DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado0215