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Nonclassical Paths in Quantum Interference Experiments

Rahul Sawant, Joseph Samuel, Aninda Sinha, Supurna Sinha, and Urbasi Sinha
Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 120406 – Published 19 September 2014
Physics logo See Focus story: Curvy Photon Trajectories Could Be Detectable
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Abstract

In a double slit interference experiment, the wave function at the screen with both slits open is not exactly equal to the sum of the wave functions with the slits individually open one at a time. The three scenarios represent three different boundary conditions and as such, the superposition principle should not be applicable. However, most well-known text books in quantum mechanics implicitly and/or explicitly use this assumption that is only approximately true. In our present study, we have used the Feynman path integral formalism to quantify contributions from nonclassical paths in quantum interference experiments that provide a measurable deviation from a naive application of the superposition principle. A direct experimental demonstration for the existence of these nonclassical paths is difficult to present. We find that contributions from such paths can be significant and we propose simple three-slit interference experiments to directly confirm their existence.

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  • Received 19 August 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.120406

© 2014 American Physical Society

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Curvy Photon Trajectories Could Be Detectable

Published 19 September 2014

Quantum mechanics permits particles to follow bizarre, looping and curving trajectories, usually with very low probability. But a calculation shows that in some cases, these paths can have significant and possibly measurable effects.

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Authors & Affiliations

Rahul Sawant1, Joseph Samuel1, Aninda Sinha2, Supurna Sinha1, and Urbasi Sinha1,3,*

  • 1Raman Research Institute, Sadashivanagar, Bangalore 560 080, India
  • 2Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
  • 3Institute for Quantum Computing, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada

  • *To whom correspondence should be addressed. usinha@rri.res.in

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Issue

Vol. 113, Iss. 12 — 19 September 2014

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