Probing spacetime geometry with atoms

by Jerzy Michal Paczos (Stockholm University)

Wednesday 18 Mar 2026, 15:15 → 16:00 Europe/Stockholm

Albano 3: 6228 - Mega (22 seats) (Albano Building 3)

How gravity affects quantum systems is a central question in theoretical physics. In this talk, Jerzy Michal Paczos, PhD student at the Condensed Matter and Quantum Optics group at Fysikum will describe some of his own research in this area. He will discuss how atomic quantum systems can be used as sensitive probes of spacetime effects by placing them in a spatial superposition at two different heights in Earth's gravitational field. He will also discuss a general framework for spontaneous emission in curved spacetime, within which gravitational waves are shown to leave characteristic imprints on atomic emission. These proposed experiments, within the reach of current technology, could provide new ways to investigate gravitational effects in quantum systems.