Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1902.10181 · Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Mach–Zehnder interferometer with quantum beamsplitters

N. G. de Almeida, T. Werlang, D. Valente

Published Nov 8, 2019• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The quantum beamsplitter—a two-level system (TLS) coupled to a one-dimensional continuum of electromagnetic modes—is the most elementary version of a beamsplitter that may not only refract and reflect, but also absorb and then reemit a photon. This raises the question of whether a single-photon pulse, once split by a first quantum beamsplitter, could be made to interfere with a second one. Here, we propose and theoretically analyze a quantum Mach–Zehnder interferometer (QMZ) as formed by two concatenated quantum beamsplitters. The distinctive feature of our QMZ is its considerable saturability for a single photon, arising from the broadband nature of the pulse. We show that (i) off-resonant monochromatic photons produce classical interference patterns, whereas (ii) resonant broadband pulses erase these patterns, and that (iii) off-resonant broadband pulses always preserve some degree of interference if the two TLSs are oppositely detuned.

DOI
10.1364/josab.36.003357

Related papers

Quantum interference in an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Alessandro Trenti, Massimo Borghi, Mattia Mancinelli +3 more

Abstract A re-visitation of the well known free space Mach-Zehnder interferometer is reported here. The coexistence between one-photon and two-photons interference from collinear color entangled photon pairs is investigated. Thisarises from an arbitrarily small unbalance in the arm transmittance. The tuning of such asymmetry is reflected in dramatic changes in the coincidence detection, revealing beatings between one particle and two particle interference patterns. In particular, the role of the losses and of the intrinsic phase imperfectness of the lossy beamsplitter are explored in a single-port excited Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This configuration is especially useful for quantum optics on a chip, where the guiding geometry forces photons to travel in the same spatial mode.

Journal of Optics•Jul 4, 2016•9 citations

One and two-photon quantum interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Alessandro Trenti, Massimo Borghi, Mattia Mancinelli +3 more

A re-visitation of the well known free space Mach Zehnder interferometer is here reported. Coexistence between one-photon and two-photons interference from collinear color entangled photon pairs is investigated. This is seen to arise from an arbitrarily small unbalance in the arm transmittance. The tuning of such asymmetry is reflected in dramatic changes in the coincidence detection, revealing beatings between one particle and two particle interference patterns. Our configuration explores new physics of the real Mach Zehnder interferometer especially useful for quantum optics on a chip, where the guiding geometry forces photons to travel in the same spatial mode.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Apr 27, 2016•1 citation

How does a Mach-Zehnder interferometer work?

Ken Zetie, S F Adams, R M Tocknell

The Mach-Zehnder interferometer is a particularly simple device for demonstrating interference by division of amplitude. A light beam is first split into two parts by a beamsplitter and then recombined by a second beamsplitter. Depending on the relative phase acquired by the beam along the two paths the second beamsplitter will reflect the beam with efficiency between 0 and 100%. The operation of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is often used as an example in quantum mechanics because it shows a clear path-choice problem. However, it is not at all obvious at first glance that it works as claimed, until reflection phase shifts are considered in detail.

Physics Education•Jan 1, 2000•115 citations

Interference of interference effects

Kevin Randles, S. J. van Enk

We analyze the interference of individual photons in two overlapping Mach–Zehnder interferometers joined via a common beam splitter. We show how two kinds of interference effects—single-photon Mach–Zehnder interference and two-photon Hong–Ou–Mandel interference—interfere with one another, partially canceling each other out. This configuration illustrates how quantum effects can combine nontrivially and, moreover, emphasizes that quantum interference happens at measurement. This work can serve as a bridge to more advanced quantum mechanical concepts, such as testing the predictions of quantum mechanics vs local realism.

arXiv:2501.03505•American Journal of Physics•Aug 21, 2025•0 citations

Temporal magnon-qubit Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Cody Trevillian, Steven Louis, Vasyl Tyberkevych

A temporal magnon-qubit Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer is proposed. The interferometer is based on controllable entanglement of a microwave qubit and a magnonic state, achieved by application of a pulsed magnetic field playing the role of a magnon-qubit temporal "beam splitter". Analogous to a typical MZ interferometer, the generated interference pattern of the final qubit population carries information about the magnon dynamics. One important application of the proposed scheme is the study of single magnon decoherence. Interestingly, this scheme allows one to independently determine rates of two possible decoherence channels. This may help enable single magnon state applications and answer fundamental questions of quasi-particle decoherence at single quantum levels.

cond-mat.mes-hallCross-listedarXiv:2602.19492•Feb 24, 2026•0 citations

Single photon quantum erasing: a demonstration experiment

Todorka L. Dimitrova, Antoine Weis

In the conventional interpretation of quantum mechanics the interference of particles in a two-beam interferometer is closely related to the problem of which-way information. One of the mysteries of quantum mechanics relies on the assumption that the wavefunction of each photon propagates simultaneously along both classically allowed paths, and that interference arises as a consequence of the indistinguishability of those paths. Any attempt to obtain which-way information by putting individual labels on the photons in each pathway inevitably destroys interference. However, even in cases in which the photons carry which-way labels, it is possible to erase those labels after the particle has left the interferometer. The erasing process (partly or completely) destroys the which-way information, and thereby restores interference. This phenomenon is known as quantum erasing. Here we present a lecture demonstration experiment of quantum erasing based on a Mach–Zehnder interferometer operated with single photons.

European Journal of Physics•Apr 7, 2010•22 citations
The quantum beamsplitter—a two-level system (TLS) coupled to a one-dimensional continuum of electromagnetic modes—is the most elementary version of a beamsplitter that may not only refract and reflect, but also absorb and then reemit a photon. This raises the question of whether a single-photon pulse, once split by a first quantum beamsplitter, could be made to interfere with a second one. Here, we propose and theoretically analyze a quantum Mach–Zehnder interferometer (QMZ) as formed by two concatenated quantum beamsplitters. The distinctive feature of our QMZ is its considerable saturability for a single photon, arising from the broadband nature of the pulse. We show that (i) off-resonant monochromatic photons produce classical interference patterns, whereas (ii) resonant broadband pulses erase these patterns, and that (iii) off-resonant broadband pulses always preserve some degree of interference if the two TLSs are oppositely detuned.
Abstract A re-visitation of the well known free space Mach-Zehnder interferometer is reported here. The coexistence between one-photon and two-photons interference from collinear color entangled photon pairs is investigated. Thisarises from an arbitrarily small unbalance in the arm transmittance. The tuning of such asymmetry is reflected in dramatic changes in the coincidence detection, revealing beatings between one particle and two particle interference patterns. In particular, the role of the losses and of the intrinsic phase imperfectness of the lossy beamsplitter are explored in a single-port excited Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This configuration is especially useful for quantum optics on a chip, where the guiding geometry forces photons to travel in the same spatial mode.
A re-visitation of the well known free space Mach Zehnder interferometer is here reported. Coexistence between one-photon and two-photons interference from collinear color entangled photon pairs is investigated. This is seen to arise from an arbitrarily small unbalance in the arm transmittance. The tuning of such asymmetry is reflected in dramatic changes in the coincidence detection, revealing beatings between one particle and two particle interference patterns. Our configuration explores new physics of the real Mach Zehnder interferometer especially useful for quantum optics on a chip, where the guiding geometry forces photons to travel in the same spatial mode.
The Mach-Zehnder interferometer is a particularly simple device for demonstrating interference by division of amplitude. A light beam is first split into two parts by a beamsplitter and then recombined by a second beamsplitter. Depending on the relative phase acquired by the beam along the two paths the second beamsplitter will reflect the beam with efficiency between 0 and 100%. The operation of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is often used as an example in quantum mechanics because it shows a clear path-choice problem. However, it is not at all obvious at first glance that it works as claimed, until reflection phase shifts are considered in detail.
We analyze the interference of individual photons in two overlapping Mach–Zehnder interferometers joined via a common beam splitter. We show how two kinds of interference effects—single-photon Mach–Zehnder interference and two-photon Hong–Ou–Mandel interference—interfere with one another, partially canceling each other out. This configuration illustrates how quantum effects can combine nontrivially and, moreover, emphasizes that quantum interference happens at measurement. This work can serve as a bridge to more advanced quantum mechanical concepts, such as testing the predictions of quantum mechanics vs local realism.
A temporal magnon-qubit Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer is proposed. The interferometer is based on controllable entanglement of a microwave qubit and a magnonic state, achieved by application of a pulsed magnetic field playing the role of a magnon-qubit temporal "beam splitter". Analogous to a typical MZ interferometer, the generated interference pattern of the final qubit population carries information about the magnon dynamics. One important application of the proposed scheme is the study of single magnon decoherence. Interestingly, this scheme allows one to independently determine rates of two possible decoherence channels. This may help enable single magnon state applications and answer fundamental questions of quasi-particle decoherence at single quantum levels.
In the conventional interpretation of quantum mechanics the interference of particles in a two-beam interferometer is closely related to the problem of which-way information. One of the mysteries of quantum mechanics relies on the assumption that the wavefunction of each photon propagates simultaneously along both classically allowed paths, and that interference arises as a consequence of the indistinguishability of those paths. Any attempt to obtain which-way information by putting individual labels on the photons in each pathway inevitably destroys interference. However, even in cases in which the photons carry which-way labels, it is possible to erase those labels after the particle has left the interferometer. The erasing process (partly or completely) destroys the which-way information, and thereby restores interference. This phenomenon is known as quantum erasing. Here we present a lecture demonstration experiment of quantum erasing based on a Mach–Zehnder interferometer operated with single photons.