Back to Search
Start Over
Distinguishability and Many-Particle Interference
- Source :
- Menssen, A J, Jones, A E, Metcalf, B J, Tichy, M C, Barz, S, Kolthammer, W S & Walmsley, I A 2017, ' Distinguishability and Many-Particle Interference ', Physical Review Letters, vol. 118, no. 15, 153603 . https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.153603, Physical Review Letters
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Quantum interference of two independent particles in pure quantum states is fully described by the particles' distinguishability: the closer the particles are to being identical, the higher the degree of quantum interference. When more than two particles are involved, the situation becomes more complex and interference capability extends beyond pairwise distinguishability, taking on a surprisingly rich character. Here, we study many-particle interference using three photons. We show that the distinguishability between pairs of photons is not sufficient to fully describe the photons' behavior in a scattering process, but that a collective phase, the triad phase, plays a role. We are able to explore the full parameter space of three-photon interference by generating heralded single photons and interfering them in a fiber tritter. Using multiple degrees of freedom-temporal delays and polarization-we isolate three-photon interference from two-photon interference. Our experiment disproves the view that pairwise two-photon distinguishability uniquely determines the degree of nonclassical many-particle interference.
- Subjects :
- General Physics
Photon
PHASE
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Phase (waves)
FOS: Physical sciences
General Physics and Astronomy
Parameter space
Interference (wave propagation)
01 natural sciences
09 Engineering
010309 optics
quant-ph
Quantum state
LINEAR OPTICS
Quantum mechanics
0103 physical sciences
010306 general physics
01 Mathematical Sciences
Computer Science::Information Theory
Physics
Quantum Physics
Science & Technology
02 Physical Sciences
Degree (graph theory)
CHIP
BOSON
Character (mathematics)
Physical Sciences
Particle
Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Menssen, A J, Jones, A E, Metcalf, B J, Tichy, M C, Barz, S, Kolthammer, W S & Walmsley, I A 2017, ' Distinguishability and Many-Particle Interference ', Physical Review Letters, vol. 118, no. 15, 153603 . https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.153603, Physical Review Letters
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....759220120c4d42fd36841e173d3952d0