Title :
A quantum eraser experiment
Author :
Yoon-Ho Kim ; Kulik, S.P. ; Scully, M.O. ; Shih, Y.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Maryland Univ., Baltimore, MD, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given. We say that the quantum observables "position" and "momentum" are "complementary" because the precise knowledge of the position (momentum) implies that all possible outcomes of measuring the momentum (position) are equally probable. In two-slit experiments, the common understanding is that the position-momentum uncertainty relation makes it impossible to determine which slit the photon (or electron) passes through without at the same time disturbing the object enough to destroy the interference pattern. In 1982, Scully et al. suggested a way around this position-momentum uncertainty obstacle and proposed a quantum eraser to obtain which-path or particle-like information without scattering or otherwise introducing large uncontrolled phase factors to disturb the interference. Since 1982, quantum has been claimed in several experiments; however, the original proposed ideas have not been fully demonstrated. We demonstrate them here.
Keywords :
complementarity; indeterminancy; light interference; light scattering; quantum optics; interference pattern; large uncontrolled phase factors; particle-like information; position-momentum uncertainty obstacle; position-momentum uncertainty relation; quantum eraser experiment; quantum observables; two-slit experiments; Atom optics; Atomic beams; Event detection; Interference; Optical interferometry; Optical solitons; Photonic crystals; Physics; Quantum cascade lasers; Quantum mechanics;
Conference_Titel :
Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference, 1999. QELS '99. Technical Digest. Summaries of Papers Presented at the
Conference_Location :
Baltimore, MD, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-55752-576-X
DOI :
10.1109/QELS.1999.807445