Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10727297 | Physics Letters A | 2014 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
If an unstable particle used in a two-path interference experiment decays before reaching a detector, which-way information becomes available that reduces the detected interference fringe visibility V. Here we argue that even when an unstable particle does not decay while in the interferometer, a priori which-way information is still available in the form of path predictability P which depends on the particle's decay rate Î. We further demonstrate that in a matter-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer using an excited atom with an appropriately tuned cavity, P is related to V through the duality relation P2+V2=1.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy (General)
Authors
D.E. Krause, E. Fischbach, Z.J. Rohrbach,