What does a quantum eraser really erase?
Interference may occur whenever there are two or more paths or processes leading to the same final outcome, and these are in principle indistinguishable. If one of these paths becomes labeled, yielding {open_quotes}which-path{close_quotes} information, interference will vanish. However, an appropriate measurement that {open_quotes}erases{close_quotes} the distinguishability may recover interference. Remarkably, it can be recovered even in situations where there was no which-path information to erase! Using single photons in a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we have investigated the various conditions that allow, prevent, and recover interference, for a variety of pure, mixed, and partially-mixed input states. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 700931
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980868--
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 461; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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