Gravitational Wave-Induced Superradiance in Ordered Atomic Arrays

Abstract

The effects of spacetime geometry on quantum systems are typically very small. Here, we demonstrate a coherent many-body mechanism that can enhance these effects. We show that, in an ordered array, a gravitational wave induces long-range all-to-all dissipative coupling among atoms within half the gravitational wavelength. This coupling is mediated by the electromagnetic vacuum and leads to cooperative photon emission that we term gravitational wave-induced photon superradiance--delayed and intense emission of photons at frequencies shifted from the atomic transition by the gravitational wave frequency. The phenomenon arises in a regime distinct from flat-spacetime superradiance, allowing gravitational effects to dominate the collective photon emission from atoms. It persists despite common experimental challenges in atom arrays such as position disorder and partial filling. We thus identify a new class of effects arising from the interplay of general relativity and collective quantum optics that individual atoms do not exhibit, and demonstrate that engineered quantum many-body systems provide a new window into the interface of general relativity and quantum mechanics.