Title :
Complementarity and which-path information
Author :
Yoon-Ho Kim ; Kulik, S.P. ; Shih, Y.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Maryland Univ., Baltimore, MD, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given. Complementarity is one of the most basic principles of quantum mechanics. A quantum mechanical object, be it a photon or a massive particle, shows position (particle-like) or momentum (wave-like) attributes exclusively depending on the experimental situation. Over the years, Young´s two-slit experiment has been emphasized as a good example of complementarity. We report two two-slit experiments in which complementarity is enforced by availability of which-path information at the measurement stage of the quantum, which is different from the traditional understanding. A type-II BBO crystal is pumped by a CW UV laser generating spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). Entangled signal and idler photons are then sent in different directions. A double slit is placed in the idler beam and the idler detectors are scanned in the transverse direction.
Keywords :
barium compounds; complementarity; light interference; light interferometry; optical frequency conversion; optical materials; optical parametric devices; quantum optics; BBO; BaB2O4; CW UV laser; Young´s two-slit experiment; complementarity; double slit; entangled idler photons; entangled signal photons; idler beam; idler detectors; massive particle; measurement stage; momentum attributes; particle-like attributes; photon; position attributes; quantum mechanical object; quantum mechanics; spontaneous parametric down-conversion; transverse direction; two-slit experiments; type-II BaB/sub 2/O/sub 4/ crystal; wave-like attributes; which-path information; Atom optics; Electrons; Interference; Light scattering; Optical pulses; Optical scattering; Particle scattering; Pulse measurements; Quantum mechanics; Solids;
Conference_Titel :
Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference, 2000. (QELS 2000). Technical Digest
Conference_Location :
San Francisco, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-55752-608-7