Optomechanical analogy for a toy cosmology with a quantized scale factor
Abstract
The simplest cosmology --- the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker-Lema\^{i}tre (FRW) model --- describes a spatially homogeneous and isotropic universe where the scale factor is the only dynamical parameter. Here we consider how quantized electromagnetic fields become entangled with the scale factor in a toy version of the FRW model. A system consisting of a photon, source, and detector is described in such a universe, and we find that the detection of a redshifted photon by the detector system constrains possible scale factor superpositions. Thus, measuring the redshift of the photon is equivalent to a weak measurement of the underlying cosmology. We also consider a potential optomechanical analogy system that would enable experimental exploration of these concepts. The analogy focuses on the effects of photon redshift measurement as a quantum back-action on metric variables, where the position of a movable mirror plays the role of the scale factor. By working in the rotating frame, an effective Hubble equation can be simulated with a simple free moving mirror.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1706.01292,
title = {Optomechanical analogy for a toy cosmology with a quantized scale factor},
author = {J. A. Smiga and J. M. Taylor},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1706.01292},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
8 pages, 3 figures; updated figures to reduce confusion