Quantum mechanical which-way experiment with an internal degree of freedom
Abstrak
For a particle travelling through an interferometer, the trade-off between the available which-way information and the interference visibility provides a lucid manifestation of the quantum mechanical wave-particle duality. Here we analyze this relation for a particle possessing an internal degree of freedom such as spin. We quantify the trade-off with a general inequality that paints an unexpectedly intricate picture of wave-particle duality when internal states are involved. Strikingly, in some instances which-way information becomes erased by introducing classical uncertainty in the internal degree of freedom. Furthermore, even imperfect interference visibility measured for a suitable set of spin preparations can be sufficient to infer absence of which-way information. General results are illustrated with a proof-of-principle single photon experiment.
Topik & Kata Kunci
Penulis (4)
Konrad Banaszek
Pawel Horodecki
Michal Karpinski
Czeslaw Radzewicz
Akses Cepat
- Tahun Terbit
- 2013
- Bahasa
- en
- Sumber Database
- arXiv
- Akses
- Open Access ✓