arXiv · 1503.02990
Duality of Quantum Coherence and Path Distinguishability
Abstract
We derive a generalized wave-particle duality relation for arbitrary multipath quantum interference phenomena. Beyond the conventional notion of the wave nature of a quantum system, i.e., the interference fringe visibility, we introduce a quantifier as the normalized quantum coherence, recently defined in the framework of quantum information theory. To witness the particle nature, we quantify the path distinguishability or the which-path information based on unambiguous quantum state discrimination. Then, the Bohr complementarity principle for multipath quantum interference can be stated as a duality relation between the quantum coherence and the path distinguishability. For two-path interference, the quantum coherence is identical to the interference fringe visibility, and the relation reduces to the well-known complementarity relation. The duality relation continues to hold in the case where mixedness is introduced due to possible decoherence effects.
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Manabendra Nath Bera, Tabish Qureshi, Mohd Asad Siddiqui, Arun Kumar Pati. 2015-07-22. Duality of Quantum Coherence and Path Distinguishability. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.92.012118
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