Distinguishability and mixedness in quantum interference

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Jones, Alex E, Kumar, Shreya, D'Aurelio, Simone, Bayerbach, Matthias, Menssen, Adrian J, Barz, Stefanie
Format: Preprint
Published: 2022
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author Jones, Alex E
Kumar, Shreya
D'Aurelio, Simone
Bayerbach, Matthias
Menssen, Adrian J
Barz, Stefanie
author_facet Jones, Alex E
Kumar, Shreya
D'Aurelio, Simone
Bayerbach, Matthias
Menssen, Adrian J
Barz, Stefanie
contents We study the impact of distinguishability and mixedness -- two fundamental properties of quantum states -- on quantum interference. We show that these can influence the interference of multiple particles in different ways, leading to effects that cannot be observed in the interference of two particles alone. This is demonstrated experimentally by interfering three independent photons in pure and mixed states and observing their different multiphoton interference, despite exhibiting the same two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interference. Besides its fundamental relevance, our observation has important implications for quantum technologies relying on photon interference.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2201_04655
institution arXiv
publishDate 2022
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Distinguishability and mixedness in quantum interference
Jones, Alex E
Kumar, Shreya
D'Aurelio, Simone
Bayerbach, Matthias
Menssen, Adrian J
Barz, Stefanie
Quantum Physics
We study the impact of distinguishability and mixedness -- two fundamental properties of quantum states -- on quantum interference. We show that these can influence the interference of multiple particles in different ways, leading to effects that cannot be observed in the interference of two particles alone. This is demonstrated experimentally by interfering three independent photons in pure and mixed states and observing their different multiphoton interference, despite exhibiting the same two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interference. Besides its fundamental relevance, our observation has important implications for quantum technologies relying on photon interference.
title Distinguishability and mixedness in quantum interference
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.04655