Progress on Satellite-to-Ground Single-Photon Interference Experiment: Toward a Quantum Test in Curved Spacetime

Yuan Cao (University of Science and Technology)

Nov 10. 2026, 09:45 — 10:15

The talk will present our experimental roadmap for satellite-to-ground single-photon interference. I will first discuss our 2024 terrestrial experiment over an 8.4 km horizontal atmospheric link, in which we demonstrated long-baseline single-photon interference using unbalanced Michelson interferometers.

I will then describe our plans to extend the experiment to satellite-to-ground links using medium- and high-Earth-orbit satellites, to directly probe the gravitational redshift with single-photon interference and test quantum interference in curved spacetime.

Finally, I plan to discuss several related ideas for quantum-optical probes of gravity, including Hong–Ou–Mandel interference and possible experiments exploring the interplay between entanglement and gravity.

Further Information
Venue:
ESI Boltzmann Lecture Hall
Associated Event:
Quantum Probes of Gravity (Workshop)
Organizer(s):
Christopher Hilweg (U of Vienna)
Thomas Mieling (FZ Jülich)
Marius A. Oancea (U of Vienna)
Dennis Rätzel (U Bremen)
Philip Walther (U of Vienna)
Magdalena Zych (U Stockholm)