Description
We study the exchange of energy between gravitational and electromagnetic
waves in an extended Mach-Zehnder or Sagnac type geometry that is analogous
to an “optical Weber bar.”
In the presence of a gravitational wave (such as the ones measured by the
Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory), we find that it should
be possible to observe (via interference or beating effects after a delay line)
signatures of stimulated emission or absorption of gravitons with present-day
technology.
Apart from marking the transition from passively observing to actively
manipulating such a natural phenomenon, this could also be used as a
complementary detection scheme.
Nonclassical photon states may improve the sensitivity and might even allow
us to test certain quantum aspects of the gravitational field.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 171501 (2025)]