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arXiv:1006.2037

Wave-particle duality revisited

U. Schilling, Joachim von Zanthier

Published Jun 10, 2010• 0 citations
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Abstract

We investigate wave-particle duality in a symmetric two-way interferometer with a which-way detector. We find that it is important to state wether the interfering object or the which-way detector is read out first. In case that the interfering object is read out first, we discover that it is possible to use the information about its state to increase the distinguishability to a value which violates the widely accepted bounds set by an inequality introduced by Jaeger et al. (PRA 51, 54) and Englert (PRL 77, 2154).

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1006.2037

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We investigate wave-particle duality in a symmetric two-way interferometer with a which-way detector. We find that it is important to state wether the interfering object or the which-way detector is read out first. In case that the interfering object is read out first, we discover that it is possible to use the information about its state to increase the distinguishability to a value which violates the widely accepted bounds set by an inequality introduced by Jaeger et al. (PRA 51, 54) and Englert (PRL 77, 2154).
We propose for the experimental verification of an inequality concerning wave-particle duality by Englert [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2154 (1996)] relating (or setting) an upper limit on distinguishability and visibility in a two-way interferometer. The inequality, quantifies the concept of wave-particle duality. The considered two-way interferometer is a Young's double-slit experiment involving two four-level atoms and is a slightly modified version of that of the recent experiment by Eichmann et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2359 (1993)]. The fringe visibility depends on the detected polarization direction of the scattered light and a read out of the internal state of one of the two atoms provides a partial which-way information.
In a recent paper, D\"urr [Phys. Rev. A 64, 042113 (2001)] proposed an interesting multibeam generalization of the quantitative formulation of interferometric wave-particle duality, discovered by Englert for two-beam interferometers. The proposed generalization is an inequality that relates a generalized measure of the fringe visibility to certain measures of the maximum amount of which-way knowledge that can be stored in a which-way detector. We construct an explicit example where, with three beams in a pure state, the scheme proposed by D\"urr leads to the possibility of an ideal which-way detector that can achieve a better path discrimination at the same time as a better fringe visibility. In our opinion, this seems to be in contrast with the intuitive idea of complementarity, as it is implemented in the two-beams case, where an increase in path discrimination always implies a decrease of fringe visibility, if the beams and the detector are in pure states.
Wave and particle properties of a quantum object cannot be observed simultaneously. In particular, the fringe visibility in an interferometer is limited by the amount of which-way information which can be obtained. This limit is set by the recently discovered duality relation. So far, all derivations of the duality relation are independent of Heisenberg’s uncertainty relation. Here we demonstrate that it is alternatively possible to derive the duality relation in the form of an uncertainty relation for some suitably chosen observables.
The wave–particle duality relation derived by Englert sets an upper bound of the extractable information from wave and particle properties in a two-path interferometer. Surprisingly, previous studies demonstrated that the introduction of a quantum beamsplitter in the interferometer could break the limitation of this upper bound, due to interference between wave and particle states. Along the other line, a lot of efforts have been made to generalize this relation from the two-path setup to the N-path case. Thus, it is an interesting question that whether a quantum N-path beamsplitter can break the limitation as well. This paper systemically studies the model of a quantum N-path beamsplitter, and finds that the generalized wave–particle duality relation between interference visibility and path distinguishability is also broken in certain situations. We further study the maximal extractable information’s reliance on the interference between wave and particle properties, and derive a quantitative description. We then propose an experimental methodology to verify the break of the limitation. Our work reflects the effect of quantum superposition on wave–particle duality, and exhibits a new aspect of the relation between visibility and path distinguishability in N-path interference. Moreover, it implies the observer’s influence on wave–particle duality.
For two-path interferometers, the which-path predictability [Formula: see text] and the fringe visibility [Formula: see text] are familiar quantities that are much used to talk about wave-particle duality in a quantitative way. We discuss several candidates that suggest themselves as generalizations P of [Formula: see text] for multi-path interferometers, and treat the case of three paths in considerable detail. To each choice for the path knowledge P, the interference strength V — the corresponding generalization of [Formula: see text] — is found by a natural, operational procedure. In experimental terms, it amounts to finding those equal-weight superpositions of the path amplitudes which maximize P for the emerging intensities. Mathematically speaking, one needs to identify a certain optimum one among the Fourier transforms of the state of the interfering quantum object. Wave-particle duality is manifest, inasmuch as P = 1 implies V = 0 and V = 1 implies P = 0, whatever definition is chosen. The possible values of the pair (P,V) are restricted to an area with corners at (P,V) = (0,0), (P,V) = (1,0), and (P,V) = (0,1), with the shape of the border line from (1,0) to (0,1), depending on the particular choice for P and the induced definition of V.