Measurement Experiment of Wave-particle of Light with a Michelson Interferometer

Ioan Has, Simona Miclăuş, Aurelian Has

Henok Tadesse

We already know the unconventional and inexplicable behavior of light/photons (and other quantum particles such as electrons) in the Which-Way quantum experiment and entanglement phenomena. In this paper we propose another quantum experiment using a Michelson interferometer. We start with an 'elementary' thought experiment. Suppose that a Michelson interferometer is set up so that the two light beams undergo complete constructive interference, with a single bright spot. Then the distance of one of the mirrors is slightly adjusted for a complete destructive interference: the bright spot disappears. The puzzle is: where does the light go? We suspect that, just like nature does not allow us to know which slit a photon has passed through in the double- slit experiment, nature may not allow us to know 'where the light goes' in the case of (complete) destructive interference. Although nature may not allow a direct measurement, we can understand by reasoning 'where the light goes' during complete destructive interference. This paper reveals the mystery. A simple quantum experiment based on the Michelson interferometer is proposed.

Christian Cormier-Delanoue

Henok Tadesse

We already know the unconventional and inexplicable behavior of light/photons (and other quantum particles such as electrons) in the Which-Way quantum experiment and entanglement phenomena. In this paper we propose another quantum experiment using a Michelson interferometer. We start with an 'elementary' thought experiment. Suppose that a Michelson interferometer is set up so that the two light beams undergo complete constructive interference, with a single bright spot. Then the distance of one of the mirrors is slightly adjusted for a complete destructive interference: the bright spot disappears. The puzzle is: where does the light go? We suspect that, just like nature does not allow us to know which slit a photon has passed through in the double- slit experiment, nature may not allow us to know 'where the light goes' in the case of (complete) destructive interference. Although nature may not allow a direct measurement, we can understand by reasoning 'where the light goes' during complete destructive interference. This paper reveals the mystery. A simple quantum experiment based on the Michelson interferometer is proposed.

Nakka Gurappa, S. Devashankar

Kirk McKenzie, B. C. Buchler, D. A. Shaddock +2 more

The sensitivity of interferometric gravitational wave detectors is ultimately limited by the 'quantum noise' of light. In this paper we compare results from a bench-top experiment and a theoretical model which show how squeezed states of light may be used to modify the quantum noise behaviour of a power recycled Michelson interferometer. We develop a simple theoretical model of the experiment and find close agreement of theoretical and experimental results. We measure quantum noise suppression of 2.3 dB and demonstrate the lock stability of the experiment for long periods.