Simulating Mass-Dependent Decoherence in Quantum Computers: Baseline Signatures for Testing Gravity-Induced Collapse

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Balaji, Viswak R, Punch, Samuel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Balaji, Viswak R
Punch, Samuel
author_facet Balaji, Viswak R
Punch, Samuel
contents We present a quantum computing simulation study of mass-dependent decoherence models inspired by Penrose's gravity-induced collapse hypothesis. According to objective reduction (OR) theory, quantum superpositions become unstable when the gravitational self-energy difference between branches exceeds a certain threshold, leading to a collapse time $τ\approx \hbar / E_G$. In this work, we implement a mass-dependent dephasing noise channel, $p(m) = 1 - e^{-k m^α}$, within the Qiskit AerSimulator, where $m$ is a proxy for the effective mass of a superposition, mapped to circuit parameters such as the number of entangled qubits or branch size. We apply this model to three canonical quantum computing experiments: GHZ state parity measurements, branch-mass entanglement tests, and Grover's search to generate distinctive collapse signatures that differ qualitatively from constant-rate dephasing. The resulting patterns serve as a baseline reference: if future hardware experiments exhibit the same scaling trends under ideal isolation, this could indicate a contribution from mass-dependent collapse processes. Conversely, deviation toward constant-noise behaviour would suggest the absence of such gravitationally induced effects. Our results provide a reproducible protocol and reference for using quantum computers as potential testbeds for probing fundamental questions in quantum mechanics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_10590
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Simulating Mass-Dependent Decoherence in Quantum Computers: Baseline Signatures for Testing Gravity-Induced Collapse
Balaji, Viswak R
Punch, Samuel
Quantum Physics
Emerging Technologies
Computational Physics
We present a quantum computing simulation study of mass-dependent decoherence models inspired by Penrose's gravity-induced collapse hypothesis. According to objective reduction (OR) theory, quantum superpositions become unstable when the gravitational self-energy difference between branches exceeds a certain threshold, leading to a collapse time $τ\approx \hbar / E_G$. In this work, we implement a mass-dependent dephasing noise channel, $p(m) = 1 - e^{-k m^α}$, within the Qiskit AerSimulator, where $m$ is a proxy for the effective mass of a superposition, mapped to circuit parameters such as the number of entangled qubits or branch size. We apply this model to three canonical quantum computing experiments: GHZ state parity measurements, branch-mass entanglement tests, and Grover's search to generate distinctive collapse signatures that differ qualitatively from constant-rate dephasing. The resulting patterns serve as a baseline reference: if future hardware experiments exhibit the same scaling trends under ideal isolation, this could indicate a contribution from mass-dependent collapse processes. Conversely, deviation toward constant-noise behaviour would suggest the absence of such gravitationally induced effects. Our results provide a reproducible protocol and reference for using quantum computers as potential testbeds for probing fundamental questions in quantum mechanics.
title Simulating Mass-Dependent Decoherence in Quantum Computers: Baseline Signatures for Testing Gravity-Induced Collapse
topic Quantum Physics
Emerging Technologies
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.10590