Project description
Hawking's 1974 prediction of black hole radiation continues to inspire the search for novel quantum phenomena associated with global properties of spacetime and with motion of observers in spacetime, as well as the search for laboratory systems in which these phenomena can be probed by hands-on experiments. At a fundamental level, a study of these phenomena provides guidance for developing theories of the quantum mechanical structure of spacetime, including the puzzle of the microphysical origin of black hole entropy. At a more practical level, a theoretical control of the phenomena may have applications in quantum information processing in situations where gravity and relative motion are significant, such as quantum communication via satellites.
Specific areas for a PhD project may include:
Model particle detectors as a tool for probing nonstationary quantum phenomena in spacetime, such as the onset of Hawking radiation during gravitational collapse. See 1406.2574, 2109.14601, 2402.14908, and the references therein.
Back-action of a localised quantum system on an ambient quantum field. See 2512.16217.
Theory supporting analogue spacetime laboratory experiments for detecting Hawking radiation and related effects. See 2007.07160, 2007.09523, 2508.01080, 2508.19987, 2609.25277, and the references therein.
Black hole structure behind the horizons as revealed by quantum field observations outside the horizons. See 1001.0124 for an overview and 2412.02755 for a recent sample.
(The paper numbers refer to website arxiv.org)