Igor Pikovski

Our theoretical research group studies quantum phenomena, quantum foundations and quantum information science. Major research interests are quantum sensing, macroscopic quantum systems and the interface of quantum physics and gravity. Our theoretical work shows novel applications and unique features of quantum physics, and outlines how their interplay with gravity can be probed in experiments.

Since 2018: Assistant Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology

2014 - 2018: ITAMP postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Harvard University

2014: PhD in quantum physics, University of Vienna

2009: Diploma in Physics, Free University of Berlin / UCSB

2023: Presidential Fellow, Stevens Institute of Technology

2023: NSF CAREER Award

2016: Branco Weiss Fellow

2014: ITAMP Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Harvard University

2024: Alfred P. Sloan award for tabletop tests of fundamental physics (co-PI): Lab-based fundamental tests of General Relativity at the interface with quantum mechanics using optical atomic clocks

2023: NSF CAREER Award: Towards Low-Energy Tests of Quantum Gravity with AMO Systems

2022: Department of Energy, Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research grant: Quantum Information Encoding and Decoding for Quantum Sensing

2021 - 2022: Branco Weiss Fellowship Collaborative Grants Program: Viability of quantum technology for exoplanet imaging

2016 - 2022: Branco Weiss Fellowship, Society in Science, administered by ETH Zurich

Full list of publications: http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=aG4jGd4AAAAJ

Selected publications:

G. Tobar, S. Manikandan, T. Beitel, I. Pikovski,
“Detecting single gravitons with quantum sensing”
Nature Communications 15, 7229 (2024)

V. Shenderov, M. Suppiah, T. Beitel, G. Tobar, S. Manikandan, I. Pikovski,
“Stimulated absorption of single gravitons: First light on quantum gravity”
Preprint: arXiv:2407.11929

J. Borregaard, I. Pikovski,
“Testing quantum theory on curved space-time with quantum networks”
Preprint: arXiv: 2406.19533

J. Hartong, E. Have, N. A. Obers, I. Pikovski,
“A coupling prescription for post-Newtonian corrections in Quantum Mechanics”
SciPost Physics 16, 088 (2024)

G. Tobar, I. Pikovski, M. E. Tobar
“Detecting kHz gravitons from a neutron star merger with a multi-mode resonant bar”
Preprint: arXiv: 2406.16898

S. Qvarfort, I. Pikovski,
“Solving quantum dynamics with a Lie algebra decoupling method”
Preprint: arXiv:2210.11894 (2022)

V. Fragkos, M. Kopp, I. Pikovski,
“On inference of quantization from gravitationally induced entanglement”
AVS Quantum Sci. 4, 045601 (2022)

M. Kopp, V. Fragkos, I. Pikovski,
“Nonclassicality of axion-like dark matter through gravitational self-interactions”
Physical Review D 106, 043517 (2022)

T. Guff, N. Boulle, I. Pikovski,
“Optimal Fidelity Witnesses for Gravitational Entanglement”
Physical Review A 105, 022444 (2022)

E. Rydving, E. Aurell, I. Pikovski,
“Do Gedanken experiments compel quantization of gravity?”
Physical Review D 104, 086024 (2021)

R. Bekenstein, I. Pikovski, H. Pichler, E. Shahmoon, S. F. Yelin , and M. D. Lukin,
“Quantum Metasurfaces”
Nature Physics 16, 676-681 (2020)

M. Zych, F. Costa, I. Pikovski, and Č. Brukner,
“Bell's Theorem for Temporal Order”
Nature Communications 10, 3772 (2019)

M. Zych, L. Rudnicki and I. Pikovski,
“Gravitational mass of composite systems”
Physical Review D 99, 104029 (2019)

S. Singh, L. A. De Lorenzo, I. Pikovski and K. C. Schwab,
“Detecting continuous gravitational waves with superfluid ⁴He”
New Journal of Physics 19, 073023 (2017)

S. Kolkowitz, I. Pikovski, N. Langellier, M. D. Lukin, R. L. Walsworth and J. Ye,
“Gravitational wave detection with optical lattice atomic clocks”
Phyical Review D 94, 124043 (2016)

I. Pikovski and A. Loeb,
“Quantum coherent oscillations in the early universe”
Physical Review D 93, 101302(R) (2016)

I. Pikovski, M. Zych, F. Costa and Č. Brukner,
“Universal decoherence due to gravitational time dilation”
Nature Physics 11, 668–672 (2015)

M. Zych, F. Costa, I. Pikovski, T. C. Ralph and Č. Brukner,
“General relativistic effects in quantum interference of photons”
Classical and Quantum Gravity 29, 224010 (2012)

I. Pikovski, M. R. Vanner, M. Aspelmeyer, M. S. Kim and Č. Brukner,
“Probing Planck-scale physics with quantum optics”
Nature Physics 8, 393–397 (2012)

M. Zych, F. Costa, I. Pikovski and Č.Brukner,
“Quantum interferometric visibility as a witness of a general relativistic proper time”
Nature Communications 2, 505 (2011)

M. R. Vanner, I. Pikovski, G. D. Cole, M. S. Kim, Č. Brukner, K. Hammerer, G. J. Milburn and M. Aspelmeyer,
“Pulsed Quantum Optomechanics”
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108, 16182 (2011)

D. Kleckner, I. Pikovski, E. Jeffrey, L. Ament, E. Eliel, J. van den Brink and D. Bouwmeester,
“Creating and verifying a quantum superposition in a micro-optomechanical system”
New Journal of Physics 10, 095020 (2008)