arXiv · 2605.24994
Structural constraint on delayed-choice quantum eraser architectures
Abstract
Delayed-choice quantum eraser (DCQE) experiments are often presented as challenging classical causal intuitions by correlating detection events with choices implemented at later times. While it is well understood that post-selection plays a crucial role in producing the observed interference patterns, the structural features underlying such correlations are rarely analyzed within a unified framework. In this work, we introduce a simple probabilistic constraint applicable to idealized DCQE architectures. We show that four intuitive properties -- statistical independence of the choice, absence of losses, deterministic routing conditioned on the choice, and distinct conditional detection distributions -- cannot be simultaneously satisfied. This incompatibility provides a transparent classification of DCQE schemes and clarifies how conditional interference patterns arise without invoking exotic mechanisms.
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Chakir Fikri. 2026-05-24. Structural constraint on delayed-choice quantum eraser architectures. https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896%2Fae6bcb
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