Quantum computing relies on the precise control of delicate quantum states, such as superposition and entanglement, to achieve computational advantages beyond classical systems. However, maintaining these states is challenging due to environmental interactions that cause decoherence.
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While extensive research has addressed environmental factors like electromagnetic interference and thermal noise, the influence of gravitational fields on qubits has recently gained interest. Unlike other sources of decoherence, gravity cannot be shielded, which raises a critical question: Could gravity serve as a tool rather than a hindrance in quantum computing?
Understanding Qubits and Quantum States
A qubit is the fundamental unit of quantum information, similar to classical bits but capable of processing more complex information. Unlike classical bits, which exist as 0 or 1, qubits can exist in superposition, simultaneously representing multiple states, significantly enhancing computational power. Qubits can also become entangled, establishing correlations between their states regardless of distance, further increasing computational capacity.
However, these advantages come with extreme sensitivity to environmental disturbances, leading to decoherence, where quantum states degrade due to interactions with external factors like temperature fluctuations or electromagnetic interference.
Therefore, quantum systems are typically isolated in environments with extreme cooling or high-vacuum conditions to minimize the effects of noise and preserve coherence.1,2,3
Gravitational Effects on Qubits
Once largely overlooked, the gravitational impact on qubits is now recognized as a major factor affecting their phase coherence and stability. According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, gravity manifests as spacetime curvature, altering the evolution of quantum states. This curvature influences time progression and spatial structure, leading to measurable phase shifts in qubits subjected to gravitational fields.4
Gravitational fields also induce time dilation and redshift, causing small phase shifts in qubit evolutions leading to decoherence. These shifts occur as variations in proper time within a gravitational field cause qubits at different positions to evolve at different rates, contributing to the loss of coherence and interfering with precise quantum operations. Even in Earth's relatively weak gravitational field, quantum interference experiments have detected measurable deviations in phase evolution, highlighting the challenges gravity poses for maintaining qubit stability.5
Experimental Tests of Gravitational Effects on Quantum Entanglement
Researchers are investigating the effects of gravitational fields on quantum entanglement.
In a study published in Science, research conducted the first space-based test on the Micius Quantum Satellite for gravity-induced decoherence in entangled states. While no deviations from standard quantum mechanics were observed, future missions at higher altitudes aim to explore stronger gravitational variations.6
Similarly, the University of Science and Technology of China researchers probed quantum spin coupling to Earth's gravitational field with 6000 times greater sensitivity than previous studies, refining theoretical models by constraining potential spin-gravity interactions that could affect qubit coherence and entanglement.7
These findings highlight the challenges and opportunities gravitational effects pose for quantum technologies.
While gravitational time dilation induces decoherence by coupling internal energy states with center-of-mass motion, disrupting quantum computing, sensing, and metrology, it also offers a unique avenue for probing quantum gravity in low-energy regimes.
This could enable tests of fundamental physics without extreme astrophysical conditions, potentially revealing new aspects of quantum gravity.6,7,8
Quantum Computing Hardware in a Gravitational Field
Different qubit technologies exhibit varying sensitivities to gravitational perturbations, necessitating potential shielding or compensation techniques in future quantum devices.
Superconducting qubits experience small gravitationally induced frequency shifts, which if unaccounted for, could impact quantum error correction and computation fidelity. For instance, a 1 cm vertical displacement causes an undetectable single-qubit frequency shift of 10−18, but in multi-qubit systems, accumulated relative shifts make gravitational dephasing a critical factor in large-scale quantum computing.
Trapped-ion qubits may accumulate differential gravitational phases, but their minimal spatial separations likely keep these effects negligible. Photonic qubits may experience gravitational redshift and bending over free-space paths, though their impact in integrated circuits is minimal, while spin qubits may exhibit weak gravitational coupling, as suggested by experimental bounds.
To mitigate these effects, gravitational shielding or compensation techniques—such as adaptive calibration, engineered potential gradients, or algorithmic error correction—may become essential for maintaining qubit stability and enabling high-fidelity quantum operations in next-generation quantum devices.4,9
Quantum Computers in Space-Based Environments
Space-based quantum computing presents an alternative environment where minimal gravitational influence could improve qubit coherence. For example, experiments on the International Space Station have shown enhanced atomic clock stability in microgravity, suggesting similar benefits for quantum processors through reduced dephasing and extended coherence times.10
Gravity as a Tool for Quantum Sensing
The unique sensitivity of quantum systems to gravitational influences opens an intriguing pathway to a new class of sensing applications that harness rather than avoid these effects.
Quantum gravitational sensors capitalize on this sensitivity by detecting subtle variations in gravitational potential through frequency shifts experienced by qubits under gravitational acceleration.
These sensors utilize atom interferometry, where ultra-cold atoms like rubidium or cesium are cooled to near absolute zero and manipulated with laser pulses to create spatially separated wavefunctions. As these wavefunctions traverse different gravitational potentials, they accumulate phase shifts that encode precise information about local gravitational variations.
Unlike conventional gravimeters, these sensors rely on atomic reference systems, offering long-term precision for applications in geophysics, infrastructure monitoring, and fundamental physics research.4
Potential Applications
Quantum gravimeters leverage entangled qubit states to measure gravitational phase shifts with exceptional accuracy, potentially achieving δg/g ~ 10-7 local gravitational acceleration, while quantum strain sensors detect minute mechanical deformation by measuring interqubit distance variations.4
In civil engineering, these sensors passively map subsurface structures, such as tunnels and buried infrastructure, without emitting signals, enhancing safety and efficiency in structural assessments. In military applications, these sensors could provide tools for detecting underground installations, as gravitational fields cannot be shielded. They also show promise for secure navigation systems relying on gravitational mapping instead of external signals, mitigating GPS spoofing risks.11
Beyond these applications, quantum gravitational sensors could reveal new insights into the interplay between general relativity and quantum mechanics. The SUPREME-GQ mission exemplifies this potential by using atom interferometry and entanglement to test equivalence principle deviations with unprecedented precision, potentially refining gravitational measurements to 10-20 and directly probing quantum gravity models.12
Future Prospects and Challenges
Harnessing gravity for quantum computation faces challenges due to the incompatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity, with gravitational time dilation inducing decoherence and computational errors.
Recent research suggests gravity may emerge from quantum relative entropy, offering potential integration pathways, though practical implementation remains complex.13 Despite these challenges, gravitationally controlled environments could optimize quantum computing by stabilizing quantum states and mitigating time-dilation-induced decoherence.
Recent research is focused on addressing these challenges and advancing our understanding of quantum-gravitational interactions, potentially bridging the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity.
For instance, recently, researchers proposed various experiments to detect individual gravitons—the hypothetical quantum particles of gravity—by cooling massive aluminum bars to near absolute zero and employing continuous quantum sensors to observe minuscule vibrations caused by gravitational waves.14 Additionally, scientists have successfully measured weak gravitational forces acting on tiny particles, bringing us closer to reconciling gravity with quantum mechanics.15
These findings suggest that as research progresses, gravitational interactions, long considered obstacles in quantum systems, could instead serve as tools for advancing fundamental physics and quantum technology, potentially unlocking new computational solutions, enhancing precision sensing, and providing crucial insights into the nature of spacetime.
References and Further Reading
- Josh Schneider & Ian Smalley. (2024). [Online]. What is a qubit? https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/qubit
- Matt Swayne. (2024). What is Quantum Computing? [Everything You Need to Know]. [Online]. https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/02/02/what-is-quantum-computing/
- Martin Giles. (2019). Explainer: What is a quantum computer? [Online]. https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/01/29/66141/what-is-quantum-computing/
- Balatsky, A. V., Roushan, P., Schaltegger, J., & Wong, P. J. (2025). Quantum sensing from gravity as a universal dephasing channel for qubits. Physical Review A, 111(1), 012411. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.111.012411
- Pikovski, I., Zych, M., Costa, F., & Brukner, Č. (2017). Time dilation in quantum systems and decoherence. New Journal of Physics, 19(2), 025011. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa5d92
- Xu, P., Ma, Y., Ren, J. G., Yong, H. L., Ralph, T. C., Liao, S. K., ... & Pan, J. W. (2019). Satellite testing of a gravitationally induced quantum decoherence model. Science, 366(6461), 132-135. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay5820
- Derek F. Jackson Kimball. (2023). Testing Gravity's Effect on Quantum Spins. [Online]. https://physics.aps.org/articles/v16/80
- Pikovski, I., Zych, M., Costa, F., & Brukner, Č. (2015). Universal decoherence due to gravitational time dilation. Nature Physics, 11(8), 668-672. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3366
- Stockholm University. (2025). Nordita and Google Uncover How Gravity Influences Qubits. [Online]. https://www.su.se/english/news/nordita-and-google-uncover-how-gravity-influences-qubits-1.798167
- Varnava, C. (2019). Timekeeping in microgravity. Nat Electron 2, 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-018-0202-1
- Michael Allen. (2021). Sensing gravity, the quantum way. [Online]. https://physicsworld.com/a/sensing-gravity-the-quantum-way/
- Andy Tomaswick. (2025). Quantum Entaglement Sensors Could Test Quantum Gravity. https://www.universetoday.com/articles/quantum-entaglement-sensors-could-test-quantum-gravity
- Bianconi, G. (2025). Gravity from entropy. Physical Review D, 111(6), 066001. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.111.066001
- Tobar, G., Manikandan, S.K., Beitel, T. et al. Detecting single gravitons with quantum sensing. Nat Commun 15, 7229 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51420-8
- Fuchs, T. M., Uitenbroek, D. G., Plugge, J., van Halteren, N., van Soest, J. P., Vinante, A., ... & Oosterkamp, T. H. (2024). Measuring gravity with milligram levitated masses. Science Advances, 10(8), eadk2949. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk2949
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