Group photo from the workshop about exploring simulations of gravity and quantum gravity

During three days in July, a group of researchers from Fysikum and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discussed new ideas to simulate gravity in the lab. Gravity is hard to test, and some phenomena that have been predicted are nearly impossible to detect. One example is Hawking radiation: the emission of photons from black holes. But recently, simulations in the lab with Bose-Einstein condensates have demonstrated an analogous effect. This is what the experimental group of Rivka Bekenstein focuses on at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her group creates nanodevices and optical elements, that can mimic gravitational phenomena. With such devices, they demonstrated how light bends near a star, or how quantum gravity might change the dynamics of particle.

Now, her group teamed up with Igor Pikovski from Fysikum to explore new directions and blue-sky research. Pikovski’s research group is focused on exploring quantum signatures of gravity, and how quantum systems and gravitational phenomena intertwine. They also study quantum control of new devices and materials. Together with Bekenstein, co-authored a paper that shows how a metasurface made up of single atoms can become at the same time reflective and transmissive – a superposition of optical properties (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-020-0845-5). Building on these new ideas, both groups hosted a workshop to explore what novel simulations could be achieved and what one could learn from them about gravity.   

The two teams were joined by several visitors from Australia and the US, as well as Fysikum researcher Magdalena Zych and Nordita Assistant Professor Fabio Costa. As a last-minute surprise, the workshop was attended by the Israeli Ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman. The ambassador’s priority is to foster exchange in culture and science between Sweden and Israel. He thus showed keen interest in this workshop, and especially its relevance for quantum technology development.

This workshop is a first step for new collaborations between the research groups, fostering innovation at the intersection of experimental quantum optics and theoretical studies of gravity. The workshop was supported by a joint research grants program between SU and HU.

More information

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Study Fundamental Quantum Physics (in Swedish)

Introduction to Quantum Information and Quantum Computation

Master´s Programme in Physics, specialisation Quantum Matter

Advanced Quantum Mechanics