Preprint

FZJ-2026-03959

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Gravitational redshift as a quantum channel: modeling the effects of gravitational redshift in quantum optics

Mieling, T. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Schell, A. W. ; Bruschi, D. E. (Corresponding author)FZJ*

2026
arXiv

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.48550/arXiv.2608.03549

Report No.: 2608.03549

Abstract: The gravitational frequency shift of light is well understood in the theory of classical electromagnetism. Nevertheless, its description in quantum theory is not yet fully developed. Recent work pointed out inconsistencies in previously developed models aimed at describing gravitational redshift as an effective multi-mode mixer (MMM) acting on modes of light, however, a complete solution of the issues was not obtained. Here, we identify the root cause of the MMM model's inconsistency and provide two complementary approaches to correct it: a "natural" one from a field-theoretic perspective, and another adapted to the language of quantum mechanics of finite-dimensional systems. We show that the second approach allows for modeling of the redshift in a multi-mode transmission setup as a quantum channel that can be characterized using standard quantum information-theoretic techniques when restricting the input states to Gaussian states of light.

Keyword(s): Quantum Physics (quant-ph) ; General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) ; FOS: Physical sciences

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Quantum Computing Analytics (PGI-12)

Research Program(s):

1. 5221 - Advanced Solid-State Qubits and Qubit Systems (POF4-522) (POF4-522)
2. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)548528714 - Gravitationsrotverschiebung in Quantenkommunikationsprozessen (548528714) (548528714)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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