We investigate surprising consequences of the hypothesis that gravity and proper time obey the quantum superposition principle. We show that, for a massive body prepared in a superposition of two positions and post-selected in a suitable final state, the elapsed proper time in another region of space can assume an anomalous effective value lying outside the range allowed by classical general relativity. Remarkably, the effective elapsed proper time can even become negative, corresponding to an effective evolution backward in time. We also propose an experiment to observe an anomalous effective proper time associated with the internal degrees of freedom of a quantum particle in an interferometer under Earth's gravitational field. The proposed experiment is, in principle, feasible with current technology, and its realization could provide the first experimental evidence of an interplay between quantum mechanics and general relativity beyond the effects of the Newtonian potential in flat spacetime.We investigate surprising consequences of the hypothesis that gravity and proper time obey the quantum superposition principle. We show that, for a massive body prepared in a superposition of two positions and post-selected in a suitable final state, the elapsed proper time in another region of space can assume an anomalous effective value lying outside the range allowed by classical general relativity. Remarkably, the effective elapsed proper time can even become negative, corresponding to an effective evolution backward in time. We also propose an experiment to observe an anomalous effective proper time associated with the internal degrees of freedom of a quantum particle in an interferometer under Earth's gravitational field. The proposed experiment is, in principle, feasible with current technology, and its realization could provide the first experimental evidence of an interplay between quantum mechanics and general relativity beyond the effects of the Newtonian potential in flat spacetime.

quant-pharXiv:2610.33220Oct 27, 20260 citations

Time in Quantum Mechanics II

Juan Gonzalo Muga, A. Ruschhaupt, A Del Campo

Lecture notes in physicsJan 1, 2009107 citations

Discrimination of metric theories

F. J. Lobo, M. Rivera-Tapia, Guillermo F. Rubilar +2 more

We study the possibility of discriminating between metric theories within the Parametrized Post-Newtonian formalism. In this approach, the two-dimensional quantum state of a massive quantum clock becomes, after propagating at low speed and in a weak gravitational field, a function of the post-Newtonian parameters and thus a signature of a metric theory. To discriminate among metric theories, we resort to quantum-state discrimination strategies such as minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination. In particular, we show that it is possible to refute the hypothesis that a particular metric theory describes spacetime with a single detection event and that it is possible to discriminate with certainty between two different metrics, also with a single detection event. In general, the success probability of the discrimination strategy is a harmonic function of the product of the difference of the proper time corresponding to each quantum clock state, the energy difference between the energy eigenstates of the quantum clock, the propagation length, and speed. It is thus possible to find suitable length and speed scales such that the success probability is close to one by selecting a quantum system with the highest energy difference and the longest natural lifetime. According to this, atomic nuclei such as thorium are considered the most suitable quantum clocks. We also show that the use of a ensemble of quantum clocks leads to a significant increase in the probability of success in discriminating between post-Newtonian parameters that differ by $10^{-5}$ . This facilitates achieving a probability of success approaching unity with distances on the scale of several kilometers and velocities approximating one-thousandth of the speed of light for a ensemble of only 10 quantum clocks.We study the possibility of discriminating between metric theories within the Parametrized Post-Newtonian formalism. In this approach, the two-dimensional quantum state of a massive quantum clock becomes, after propagating at low speed and in a weak gravitational field, a function of the post-Newtonian parameters and thus a signature of a metric theory. To discriminate among metric theories, we resort to quantum-state discrimination strategies such as minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination. In particular, we show that it is possible to refute the hypothesis that a particular metric theory describes spacetime with a single detection event and that it is possible to discriminate with certainty between two different metrics, also with a single detection event. In general, the success probability of the discrimination strategy is a harmonic function of the product of the difference of the proper time corresponding to each quantum clock state, the energy difference between the energy eigenstates of the quantum clock, the propagation length, and speed. It is thus possible to find suitable length and speed scales such that the success probability is close to one by selecting a quantum system with the highest energy difference and the longest natural lifetime. According to this, atomic nuclei such as thorium are considered the most suitable quantum clocks. We also show that the use of a ensemble of quantum clocks leads to a significant increase in the probability of success in discriminating between post-Newtonian parameters that differ by $10^{-5}$. This facilitates achieving a probability of success approaching unity with distances on the scale of several kilometers and velocities approximating one-thousandth of the speed of light for a ensemble of only 10 quantum clocks.

arXiv:2506.12243Physical review. D/Physical review. D.Dec 18, 20250 citations

Proper Time in Classical and Quantum Mechanics

CRC Press eBooksMay 21, 2004162 citations

Post-Newtonian Hamiltonian description of an atom in a weak gravitational field

Philip K. Schwartz, Domenico Giulini

We extend the systematic calculation of an approximately relativistic Hamiltonian for center of mass and internal dynamics of an electromagnetically bound two-particle system by Sonnleitner and Barnett [Phys. Rev. A 98, 042106 (2018)] to the case including a weak post-Newtonian gravitational background field, described by the Eddington-Robertson parametrized post-Newtonian metric. Starting from a proper relativistic description of the situation, this approach allows us to systematically derive the coupling of the model system to gravity, instead of ``guessing'' it by means of classical notions of relativistic effects. We embed this technical result into a critical discussion concerning the problem of implementing and interpreting general couplings to the gravitational field and the connected problem of how to properly address the question concerning the validity of the Equivalence Principle in Quantum Mechanics.We extend the systematic calculation of an approximately relativistic Hamiltonian for center of mass and internal dynamics of an electromagnetically bound two-particle system by Sonnleitner and Barnett [Phys. Rev. A 98, 042106 (2018)] to the case including a weak post-Newtonian gravitational background field, described by the Eddington-Robertson parametrized post-Newtonian metric. Starting from a proper relativistic description of the situation, this approach allows us to systematically derive the coupling of the model system to gravity, instead of ``guessing'' it by means of classical notions of relativistic effects. We embed this technical result into a critical discussion concerning the problem of implementing and interpreting general couplings to the gravitational field and the connected problem of how to properly address the question concerning the validity of the Equivalence Principle in Quantum Mechanics.

arXiv:1908.06929Physical Review ANov 22, 201955 citations

10^{-5}

. This facilitates achieving a probability of success approaching unity with distances on the scale of several kilometers and velocities approximating one-thousandth of the speed of light for a ensemble of only 10 quantum clocks.