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arXiv:1610.04781

Past of a particle inside an interferometer: the two-state vector approach

Lev Vaidman A

Published Oct 15, 2016• 2 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Hashmi et al. [J. Phys. A 49, 345302 (2016)] claimed that the approach to the past of a quantum particle introduced by Vaidman [Phys. Rev. A 87, 052104 (2013)] has difficulties in certain examples and that it even can be refuted. Here I reply to their criticism showing that the approach provides a good explanation of all examples they considered. It is fully consistent with standard quantum mechanics and provides a useful tool for analyzing interference experiments.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1610.04781

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Reply to the comment on ‘Two-state vector formalism and quantum interference’

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Abstract In the preceding comment it is claimed that we are mistaken in the analysis of the theory of the ‘past of a quantum particle’ proposed by the author of the comment. We show that the claim is unfounded. Moreover we show that the arguments presented in the comment are not consistent with the already proposed theory.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Sep 19, 2017•13 citations
Hashmi et al. [J. Phys. A 49, 345302 (2016)] claimed that the approach to the past of a quantum particle introduced by Vaidman [Phys. Rev. A 87, 052104 (2013)] has difficulties in certain examples and that it even can be refuted. Here I reply to their criticism showing that the approach provides a good explanation of all examples they considered. It is fully consistent with standard quantum mechanics and provides a useful tool for analyzing interference experiments.
The recent criticism of Vaidman's proposal for the analysis of the past of a particle in the nested interferometer is refuted. It is shown that the definition of the past of the particle adopted by Englert et al. [B. G. Englert et al., Phys. Rev. A 96, 022126 (2017)] is applicable only to a tiny fraction of photons in the interferometer which indeed exhibit different behavior. Their proof that all pre- and postselected particles behave this way, i.e., follow a continuous trajectory, does not hold, because it relies on the assumption that it is intended to prove.