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Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment based on Rydberg atoms

Gen-Sheng Ye, Biao Xu, Feng-Yuan Kuang, Hao-Xiang Liu, Shuai Shi, Yiqiu Ma, Lin Li

Published Feb 16, 2022• 2 citations

Abstract

Abstract The delayed choice gedanken-experiment initially proposed by J A Wheeler reveals the nontrivial features of wave–particle duality in quantum world, that is, the choice of whether to observe the particle/wave character of a quantum system at a delayed time can affect its evolution history. In this work, the Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment is conducted and tested in a new regime based on a Rydberg-ground level atomic Mach–Zehnder interferometer with optical coherent manipulation. Our quantum system exhibits an excellent single-excitation of the collective atomic state due to the Rydberg blockade effect, and the delayed choice of the interferometer configuration is realized by a quantum random number generator based on high-quality Rydberg single-photon source. Our experimental results demonstrate the Wheeler’s nontrivial time order inversion in this quantum system and confirm the Copenhagen interpretation of the physical reality of quantum state, which means the particle/wave character can only be ascribed to a quantum system when it was measured. This work is encouraging toward testing the foundations of quantum mechanics using the Rydberg atoms.

DOI: 10.1088/1361-6455/ac505e

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Wave-particle duality constitutes one of the most intriguing features in quantum physics. A well-known gedanken experiment that provides evidence for this is Wheeler's delayed-choice experiment based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer [J. A. Wheeler, in Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Theory, edited by A. R. Marlow (Academic, New York, 1978), pp. 9--48; in Quantum Theory and Measurement, edited by J. A. Wheeler and W. H. Zurek (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1984), pp. 182--213]. Many different versions of delayed-choice experiments have been conducted with both classical and quantum detecting devices. Recently, it was proposed that the delayed-choice experiment could be devised from the perspective of a device-independent prepare-and-measure scenario [R. Chaves et al., Causal Modeling the Delayed-Choice Experiment, Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 190401 (2018)]. In our work, we experimentally realize this modified version with a deterministic single-photon source and examine the wave-particle objective in a causal-modeled scheme without the assistance of entanglement, which is achieved by violating the dimension-witness inequalities. Our experiment also provides an intriguing perspective and exhibits the benefits of studying quantum theory from the casual model point of view.

Wheeler’s gedanken experiment is the most fascinating and subtle illustration of wave-particle duality [1]. If we consider a single-photon light pulse in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, one can either measure the interference at the output – evidencing the “wave-like” behavior of the photon- or one can detect the path followed by the photon – evidencing its “particle-like” behavior. In order to pinpoint how surprising this is, John Wheeler considered a “delayed-choice” regime where the choice of measuring either property is done only after the photon has entered the interferometer.

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