Observation of off-diagonal geometric phases in polarized-neutron-interferometer experiments
Yuji Hasegawa, Rudolf Loidl, G. Badurek +4 more
Off-diagonal geometric phases acquired in the evolution of a spin-1/2 system have been investigated by means of a polarized neutron interferometer. Final counts with and without polarization analysis enable us to observe simultaneously the off-diagonal and diagonal geometric phases in two detectors. We have quantitatively measured the off-diagonal geometric phase for noncyclic evolutions, confirming the theoretical predictions. We discuss the significance of our experiment in terms of geometric phases (both diagonal and off- diagonal) and in terms of the quantum-erasing phenomenon.
arXiv:quant-ph/0201054•Physical Review A•Apr 24, 2002•37 citations