Probing gravitational interaction between milligram optomechanical oscillators operating in the quantum regime

M. Bonaldi; A. Borrielli; G. Di Giuseppe; N. Malossi; F. Marin; F. Marino; F. Marzioni; R. Natali; G. Novelli; P. Piergentili; A. Pontin; P. Sberna; E. Serra; G. Sordo; D. Vitali

Probing gravitational interaction between milligram optomechanical oscillators operating in the quantum regime

Quantum Physics 2026-07-20 v1

Authors: M. Bonaldi , A. Borrielli , G. Di Giuseppe , N. Malossi , F. Marin , F. Marino , F. Marzioni , R. Natali , G. Novelli , P. Piergentili , A. Pontin , P. Sberna , E. Serra , G. Sordo , D. Vitali

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Abstract

We present an ongoing optomechanical experiment aimed at detecting gravitational interaction between milligram-scale oscillators, and exploring its interplay with quantum mechanics. The setup employs two microfabricated oscillators coupled via gravity and read out through a high-finesse optical cavity, at ultra-cryogenic temperature. Finite element simulations, noise modelling, and sensitivity estimates demonstrate that gravitational coupling can be detected with integration times ranging from minutes to hours. The experiment establishes a realistic platform for probing gravitational effects in systems approaching the quantum regime.

Keywords

optomechanical oscillators gravitational interaction quantum regime micro-fabricated high-finesse optical cavity

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.18351,
  title  = {Probing gravitational interaction between milligram optomechanical oscillators operating in the quantum regime},
  author = {M. Bonaldi and A. Borrielli and G. Di Giuseppe and N. Malossi and F. Marin and F. Marino and F. Marzioni and R. Natali and G. Novelli and P. Piergentili and A. Pontin and P. Sberna and E. Serra and G. Sordo and D. Vitali},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.18351},
  year   = {2026}
}