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Autores principales: Zhang, Yunxiao, Tang, Xuan, Guo, Xueshi, Cui, Liang, Li, Xiaoying, Ou, Z. Y.
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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Acceso en línea:https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.04010
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author Zhang, Yunxiao
Tang, Xuan
Guo, Xueshi
Cui, Liang
Li, Xiaoying
Ou, Z. Y.
author_facet Zhang, Yunxiao
Tang, Xuan
Guo, Xueshi
Cui, Liang
Li, Xiaoying
Ou, Z. Y.
contents Interference effects are usually observed by intensity measurement. Path indistinguishability by quantum complementarity principle requires projection of the interfering fields into a common indistinguishable mode before detection. On the other hand, the essence of wave interference is the addition of amplitudes of the interfering fields. Therefore, if amplitudes can be directly measured and added, interference can occur even though the interfering fields are in well-distinguishable modes. Here, we make a comprehensive study in both theory and experiment of a technique by homodyne measurement of field amplitudes to reveal interference. This works for both classical and quantum fields even though there exists distinguishability in the interfering paths of light. This directly challenges complementarity principle. We present a resolution of this issue from the viewpoint of measurement that emphasizes either particle or wave. This technique is particularly useful for recovering interference in unbalanced interferometers with path-imbalance beyond coherence length of the input field and can be applied to remote sensing to extend applicable range. Since the amplitude-based interference phenomena studied here are fundamentally different from the traditional intenisty-based interference phenomena, our approach leads to a new paradigm to study coherence between optical fields.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2502_04010
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optical interference by amplitude measurement
Zhang, Yunxiao
Tang, Xuan
Guo, Xueshi
Cui, Liang
Li, Xiaoying
Ou, Z. Y.
Quantum Physics
Interference effects are usually observed by intensity measurement. Path indistinguishability by quantum complementarity principle requires projection of the interfering fields into a common indistinguishable mode before detection. On the other hand, the essence of wave interference is the addition of amplitudes of the interfering fields. Therefore, if amplitudes can be directly measured and added, interference can occur even though the interfering fields are in well-distinguishable modes. Here, we make a comprehensive study in both theory and experiment of a technique by homodyne measurement of field amplitudes to reveal interference. This works for both classical and quantum fields even though there exists distinguishability in the interfering paths of light. This directly challenges complementarity principle. We present a resolution of this issue from the viewpoint of measurement that emphasizes either particle or wave. This technique is particularly useful for recovering interference in unbalanced interferometers with path-imbalance beyond coherence length of the input field and can be applied to remote sensing to extend applicable range. Since the amplitude-based interference phenomena studied here are fundamentally different from the traditional intenisty-based interference phenomena, our approach leads to a new paradigm to study coherence between optical fields.
title Optical interference by amplitude measurement
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.04010