Scientists Examine the Wave-Particle Duality of Two Photons
Researchers detected the wave-particle duality in two photons. Unraveling the quantum world hinges on comprehending the behaviors of quantum objects, manifesting as a dual nature—both wave and particle—depending on the potential for interference. This phenomenon, known as wave-particle duality (WPD), is typically observed in mutually exclusive experimental setups, aligning with Bohr’s complementarity principle.
In the 1980s, theoretical physicist John Wheeler introduced the delayed-choice experiment, highlighting that the observation methods applied to photons determine whether they exhibit particle-like or wave-like behavior.
Ionicioiu and Terno, in 2011, suggested a quantum adaptation of the delayed-choice experiment. This approach allows photons to be coerced into a superposed state of particle and wave characteristics, showcasing a continuous transition between these two aspects as the controlling parameter of the ancilla changes.
Exploring Dual Behaviors of Photons
In a recent publication in Physical Review A, we formulated a theory and conducted experiments exploring the dual behaviors of single and paired photons, manifesting as both waves and particles. Our investigation utilized the experimental setup outlined in Fig. 1 and further elaborated in detail in Fig. 2.
Utilizing our devised configuration, researchers observed the wave-particle duality in two photons. The setup allowed us to witness exclusive wave-like, particle-like, or wave-particle superposition behaviors in one or two photons. This control was achieved by adjusting a single classical parameter, α, directly linked to the reflectivity of the beam splitter incorporated into the Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
Findings from Dual-Photon Wave-Particle Superposition
Our investigation revealed that the wavelengths of both single and paired photons in wave-particle superposition states remain consistent with those in pure wave states. Interestingly, the interference visibility in the two-photon scenario consistently falls below that observed in the one-photon case. Notably, all experimental results align seamlessly with theoretical predictions, affirming the validity of the proposed setup.
In our delayed-choice experiment scheme, we employ a device-independent prepare-and-measure scenario, testing a hidden-variable model with purely classical control. By calculating dimension witnesses, we uncovered the violation of the linear dimension witness within certain parameter ranges, highlighting the impracticality of hidden-variable models. While our focus was on photons in this study, similar outcomes would extend to matter particles.
Read the original article on: Phys.Org
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