His thesis developed a model of quantum optics in curved space-times that describes the interaction of single photons (as described by quantum field theory) with the gravitational field (as described by the general theory of relativity). Whereas previous work on this subject mainly considered light propagation in free space, the model developed here models light propagation in optical fibers, as suggested by current experimental proposals. Based on this, the thesis derived concrete predictions for gravitational photon interferometry at the single-photon level that will be tested in the near future by the forthcoming GRAVITES experiment.
Thomas Mieling obtained the prestigious DOC Fellowship of the Austrian Academy of Sciences for his doctoral studies at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna. He had already joined the Gravitational Physics group during his Master’s degree, with his thesis winning the Alfred Wehrl Award 2019. His current research focus is on optics in curved space-time with applications to gravitational quantum optics and laser interferometric gravitational wave detection.
You can learn more about the GRAVITES project in this press release and this article from Rudolphina.
- Gupta-Bleuler quantization of the electromagnetic field in curved space-times with applications to gravitational photon interferometry
Thomas Meiling, 2024
Advisers: Piotr T. Chruściel and Philip Walther
