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Paula Calizaya Cabrera

Louisiana State University

Supervisors: Ivan Agullo (Louisiana State University) – Maxime Jacquet (École Normale Supérieure – Sorbonne Université)

Short Bio: I am a graduate student at LSU, specializing in black hole theory under the mentorship of Prof. Ivan Agullo. My interest in physics began in a small classroom in southern Peru. Since then, I graduated from Penn State with two degrees, published four papers on gravitational physics, and taken on leadership roles within various physics communities. Currently, my research focuses on Hawking-like phenomena in both black holes and condensed matter systems. Recently, I was honored to receive the Enrico Fermi Fellowship, which will allow me to approach my work from an experimental perspective.

Entanglement in Quantum Field Theory: Proving Hawking-like Phenomena in Rotating Quantum Fluids

Project summary: The relationship between gravity and quantum mechanics is a major puzzle in modern science. Black holes are key to understanding this connection, as they link large-scale physics with quantum phenomena. A well-known example is the Hawking effect, where quantum fluctuations near a black hole’s event horizon cause the emission of entangled particles.

Recent research shows that rotation, a common feature of astrophysical black holes, adds another layer to quantum entanglement. This discovery highlights how rotating black holes not only emit Hawking radiation from their horizon but also produce entangled particle pairs as a direct result of their rotational features.

Preliminary experimental data showing a rotating polariton vortex. Left, fluid phase; right, mean-field density.

The goal of this research is to experimentally study the relationship between black hole horizons, their rotational features, and the entanglement structure of quantum field theory. This study is based on the general principles of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, where particles are described by quantum fields on a classical curved background. These principles extend beyond black holes, meaning they can be recreated in other systems with horizons and rotational features, allowing the emission of entangled particles to be measured in a laboratory setting.

To investigate these phenomena, researchers propose using an innovative quantum field simulator developed at the Kastler Brossel Laboratory in Paris. This simulator uses polaritons—quasi-particles that combine photons and electron-hole pairs in a semiconductor. The simulator enables researchers to manipulate the effective spacetime using laser light, including creating rotating curved spacetime, which mimics the conditions near a black hole’s horizon.