Multiparticle interference

Young-Sik Ra, Malte C. Tichy, Hyang‐Tag Lim +4 more

We experimentally demonstrate the non-monotonic dependence of many-particle interference signals on the particles mutual distinguishability. Such non-monotonicity is a generic feature of the quantum to classical transition in multiparticle systems.

W. H. Klink, S. Wickramasekara

George H. Duffey

Young-Sik Ra, Malte C. Tichy, Hyang‐Tag Lim +4 more

We experimentally demonstrate the non-monotonic dependence of genuine many-particle interference signals on the particles' mutual distinguishability. Our theoretical analysis shows that such non-monotonicity is a generic feature of the quantum to classical transition in multiparticle correlation functions of more than two particles.

Alex E. Jones, Adrian J. Menssen, Helen M. Chrzanowski +3 more

One of the central principles of quantum mechanics is that if there are multiple paths that lead to the same event and there is no way to distinguish between them, interference occurs. It is often assumed that distinguishing information in the preparation, evolution, or measurement of a system is sufficient to destroy interference. However, it is still possible for photons in distinguishable, separable states to interfere due to the indistinguishability of paths corresponding to possible exchange processes. Here we experimentally measure an interference signal that depends only on the multiparticle interference of four photons in a four-port interferometer despite pairs of them occupying distinguishable states.