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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

Experimental realization of interaction-free measurements

Harald Weinfurter, Paul G. Kwiat, Thomas Herzog, Anton Zeilinger, Mark A. Kasevich

Published May 22, 1995• 8 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Recently, it has been pointed out that it is possible to make a quantum-mechanical interaction-free measurement (IFM), in which the existence of an object in a given region of space may be determined seemingly without interacting with it.1,2 In the embodiment first proposed by Elitzur and Vaidman,3 a standard Michelson interferometer is aligned so that incident single photons (obtained in our experiment by using parametric downconversion; see Fig. 1) must exit by the same port in which they entered, in the absence of any object within the interferometer. The presence of an object (e.g., the mirror leading to detector DB) in one of the arms completely changes the possible outcomes because the constructive interference is interrupted. Now it is possible that the photon will exit from the other exit port, to detector DIfm. By detecting the photon in this case, one can claim with certainty that an object was within the interferometer, even though the photon could not have interacted with it. If the beam splitter has a very low reflectivity, then the fraction of IFMs approaches 1/2.

Related papers

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Summary form only given.The purpose of an interaction-free measurement is to detect the presence of an object without letting any energy quanta be absorbed by the object. In this work we present interaction-free measurement results using a Fabry-Perot interferometer as a measurement apparatus. If the cavity of the interferometer is empty, an incoming photon will be transmitted through the interferometer. If an absorbent is placed between the mirrors, the photon will be reflected by the first mirror. By detecting which way the photon takes, we will gain information about the presence of the absorbent without losses/interaction. For a perfect measurement, the figure of merit will be equal to the mirror reflectivity R. Thus, in theory, one can approach the perfect interaction-free measurement simply by increasing R.

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On the Paradoxical Aspects of New Quantum Experiments

Lev Vaidman A

I shall discuss two recently suggested quantum experiments. These experiments lead to paradoxical situations. I will argue that in the framework of a particular Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum theory the paradoxes do not arise. The first experiment is the “interaction-free measurement” (Elitzur and Vaidman 1993). The experimental group at Innsbruck headed by Prof. Zeilinger is working now on its realization. Before describing the experiment let me discuss a general question: “How do we know that there is an object in a region of space?” The simplest case is when the object itself causes some physical changes outside the region: i) The object is charged, so there is a field outside. We can measure this field. ii) The object yields a potential outside. Aharonov and Bohm have taught us that potential even without field leads to a measurable effect. iii) The objects radiates photons or other particles.

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Hiroo Azuma

We consider interaction-free measurement (IFM) with imperfect interaction. In the IFM proposed by Kwiat et al., we assume that the interaction between an absorbing object and a probe photon is imperfect, so that the photon is absorbed with probability $1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\eta}$ $(0\ensuremath{\leqslant}\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\leqslant}1)$ and it passes by the object without being absorbed with probability $\ensuremath{\eta}$ when it approaches close to the object. We derive the success probability $P$ that we can find the object without the photon absorbed under the imperfect interaction as a power series in $1∕N$ and show the following result: Even if the interaction between the object and photon is imperfect, we can let the success probability $P$ of the IFM get close to unity arbitrarily by making the reflectivity of the beam splitter larger and increasing the number of the beam splitters. Moreover, we obtain an approximating equation of $P$ for large $N$ from the derived power series in $1∕N$.

arXiv:quant-ph/0608066•Physical Review A•Nov 17, 2006•13 citations
Recently, it has been pointed out that it is possible to make a quantum-mechanical interaction-free measurement (IFM), in which the existence of an object in a given region of space may be determined seemingly without interacting with it.1,2 In the embodiment first proposed by Elitzur and Vaidman,3 a standard Michelson interferometer is aligned so that incident single photons (obtained in our experiment by using parametric downconversion; see Fig. 1) must exit by the same port in which they entered, in the absence of any object within the interferometer. The presence of an object (e.g., the mirror leading to detector DB) in one of the arms completely changes the possible outcomes because the constructive interference is interrupted. Now it is possible that the photon will exit from the other exit port, to detector DIfm. By detecting the photon in this case, one can claim with certainty that an object was within the interferometer, even though the photon could not have interacted with it. If the beam splitter has a very low reflectivity, then the fraction of IFMs approaches 1/2.
The gedanken experiment of Elitzur and Vaidman showing wave-particle duality was realized as a demonstration at a scientific exposition. Presence or absence of a mirror in one arm of an interferometer was measured while detecting one photon at a time. A reasonable fraction of events was ‘‘interaction-free,’’ which means that the conclusion that there was a mirror in the beam could be drawn from the signal of a photon that had not interacted with the mirror. The demonstration was found to be thought-provoking.
"Interaction-free measurements" (IFM) originate from the latest quantum interferometric technologies. The latest research of quantum optics demonstrates, by using the complementary wavelike and particlelike natures of photons, it is possible to make interaction-free measurements by which the presence of an object can be determined with no photons being absorbed. The paper introduces the concept of "Interaction-free Measurement" (IFM), the original Elitzur-Vaidman scheme, the "High Efficiency Interaction-free Measurement", the application of quantum Zeno effect and the improved scheme proposed by Kwiat et al. The EV scheme is implemented in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Theoretically this paper also draws a conclusion in IFM feasibility by analyzing the wave functions of photon at various locations in the interferometer.
Summary form only given.The purpose of an interaction-free measurement is to detect the presence of an object without letting any energy quanta be absorbed by the object. In this work we present interaction-free measurement results using a Fabry-Perot interferometer as a measurement apparatus. If the cavity of the interferometer is empty, an incoming photon will be transmitted through the interferometer. If an absorbent is placed between the mirrors, the photon will be reflected by the first mirror. By detecting which way the photon takes, we will gain information about the presence of the absorbent without losses/interaction. For a perfect measurement, the figure of merit will be equal to the mirror reflectivity R. Thus, in theory, one can approach the perfect interaction-free measurement simply by increasing R.
I shall discuss two recently suggested quantum experiments. These experiments lead to paradoxical situations. I will argue that in the framework of a particular Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum theory the paradoxes do not arise. The first experiment is the “interaction-free measurement” (Elitzur and Vaidman 1993). The experimental group at Innsbruck headed by Prof. Zeilinger is working now on its realization. Before describing the experiment let me discuss a general question: “How do we know that there is an object in a region of space?” The simplest case is when the object itself causes some physical changes outside the region: i) The object is charged, so there is a field outside. We can measure this field. ii) The object yields a potential outside. Aharonov and Bohm have taught us that potential even without field leads to a measurable effect. iii) The objects radiates photons or other particles.
We consider interaction-free measurement (IFM) with imperfect interaction. In the IFM proposed by Kwiat et al., we assume that the interaction between an absorbing object and a probe photon is imperfect, so that the photon is absorbed with probability $1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\eta}$ $(0\ensuremath{\leqslant}\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\leqslant}1)$ and it passes by the object without being absorbed with probability $\ensuremath{\eta}$ when it approaches close to the object. We derive the success probability PPP that we can find the object without the photon absorbed under the imperfect interaction as a power series in 1∕N1∕N1∕N and show the following result: Even if the interaction between the object and photon is imperfect, we can let the success probability PPP of the IFM get close to unity arbitrarily by making the reflectivity of the beam splitter larger and increasing the number of the beam splitters. Moreover, we obtain an approximating equation of PPP for large NNN from the derived power series in 1∕N1∕N1∕N.