Particle path through a nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Robert B. Griffiths
Phys. Rev. A 94, 032115 – Published 16 September 2016

Abstract

Possible paths of a photon passing through a nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer on its way to a detector are analyzed using the consistent histories formulation of quantum mechanics, and confirmed using a set of weak measurements (but not weak values). The results disagree with an analysis by Vaidman [Phys. Rev. A 87, 052104 (2013)], and agree with a conclusion reached by Li et al. [Phys. Rev. A 88, 046102 (2013)]. However, the analysis casts serious doubt on the claim of Salih et al. (whose authorship includes Li et al.) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 170502 (2013)] to have constructed a protocol for counterfactual communication: a channel which can transmit information even though it contains a negligible number of photons.

  • Figure
  • Received 27 April 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.94.032115

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

General Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Robert B. Griffiths*

  • Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania 15213, USA

  • *rgrif@cmu.edu

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 3 — September 2016

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