Photons in a two-path interferometer best embody wave-particle duality (WPD), which is a core concept of quantum theory. So far, the WPD relation is commonly written as
V2+D2≤1, where
V is the interference fringe visibility and
D is path distinguishability, i.e., the distinguishability of which path a photon passed. This inequality is saturated only when the which-way marker (WWM), which embodies which-path information (WPI) via an internal degree of freedom of photons, such as polarization, is in a pure state. For mixed-state WWM, conventionally defined distinguishability underestimates the amount of WPI and thus does not saturate the WPD relation. Here, we introduce a generalized measure of distinguishability
D that properly quantifies the WPI and saturates the WPD relation for all pure- and mixed-state WWM within a purification-based framework. To this end, mixed-state WWM is treated as a result of entanglement formation between the WWM and an external degree of freedom, e.g., environment, and
D is defined so that it incorporates the total WPI shared between the WWM and the environment. We show that
D thus defined is experimentally quantifiable, independently of
V, without access to the environment. We experimentally evaluate
V and
D using true single photons generated in the completely mixed (unpolarized) state, and thus verify the saturated WPD relation.
Recent times have seen a spurt of research activity focused on "completing" certain wave-particle duality relations using entanglement or polarization. These studies use a duality relation involving path-predictability, and not path-distinguishability. Quantum origins of these results are explored here, in the more general framework of multipath quantum interference. Multipath interference with a path-detector is theoretically analyzed to find the connection between predictability and distinguishability. It is shown that entanglement is what quantitatively connects distinguishability with predictability. Thus, a duality relation between distinguishability and coherence can also be viewed as a triality between predictability, entanglement, and coherence. There exist two different kinds of duality relations in the literature, which pertain to two different kinds of interference experiments, with or without a path-detector. Results of this study show that the two duality relations are quantitatively connected via entanglement. The roots of the new, to the best of our knowledge, results in the classical optical domain, including the polarization coherence theorem, can be understood in the light of this work.
A single photon exhibits wave-particle duality in the Young's double-slit interferometer. The duality characterized by an interference visibility and a which-path information has trade-off relation known as complementarity. These quantities are related to the first-order coherence, and the interference is based on the phase correlation between lights coming from two arms. However according to quantum optics theory, such a simple wave-particle picture is not enough to understand the nature because the theory showed an importance of higher-order coherence in the sense of both interference and statistical distribution of photons. Second-order intensity correlation is especially crucial to reveal distinctive quantum features of photons with no classical analogue. Here, in an intensity interferometric scenario as represented by the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer, we discuss a wave-particle duality of light based on a which-path information and a quantity characterizing a magnitude of the intensity interferometric effect. We show, for classical light, the two quantities obey the complementary principle similar to the case of the double-slit experiment, but do not for nonclassical light. The nonclassical light such as photons at two arms is allowed to show larger which-path information and intensity interference simultaneously beyond the complementary relation. Moreover, the violation reveals a new nonclassical nature of light although both of the above two quantities seem to be understandable classically, which is never found from a consideration of only one side of wave-particle duality.
According to the relevant theories on duality relation, the summation of the extractable information of a quanton’s wave and particle properties, which are characterized by interference visibility V and path distinguishability D, respectively, is limited. However, this relation is violated upon quantum superposition between the wave-state and particle-state of the quanton, which is caused by the quantum beamsplitter (QBS). Along another line, recent studies have considered quantum coherence C in the l1-norm measure as a candidate for the wave property. In this study, we propose an interferometer with a quantum which-path detector (QWPD) and examine the generalized duality relation based on C. We find that this relationship still holds under such a circumstance, but the interference between these two properties causes the full-particle property to be observed when the QWPD system is partially present. Using a pair of polarization-entangled photons, we experimentally verify our analysis in the two-path case. This study extends the duality relation between coherence and path information to the quantum case and reveals the effect of quantum superposition on the duality relation.
Classical wisdom of wave–particle duality regulates that a quantum object shows either the particle or wave nature but never both. Consequently, it would be impossible to observe simultaneously the complete wave and particle nature of the quantum object. Mathematically the principle requests that the interference visibility V and which-path distinguishability D satisfy an orthodox limit of V 2 + D 2 ≤ 1 . The present work reports a new wave–particle duality test experiment using single photons in a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer to demonstrate the possibility of breaking the limit. The key element of the interferometer is a weakly scattering total internal reflection prism surface, which exhibits a pronounced single-photon interference with a visibility of up to 0.97 and simultaneously provides a path distinguishability of 0.83. Apparently, the result of V 2 + D 2 ≈ 1.63 exceeds the orthodox limit set by the classical principle of wave–particle duality for single photons. We expect that more delicate experiments in the future should be able to demonstrate the ultimate limit of V 2 + D 2 ≈ 2 and shed new light on the foundations of contemporary quantum mechanics.