In a recent paper [Phys. Rev. {\bf A64}, 042113 (2001)] S. Dürr proposed an interesting multibeam generalization of the quantitative formulation of interferometric wave-particle duality, discovered by Englert for two-beam interferometers. The proposed generalization is an inequality that relates a generalized measure of the fringe visibility, to certain measures of the maximum amount of which-way knowledge that can be stored in a which-way detector. We construct an explicit example where, with three beams in a pure state, the scheme proposed by Dürr leads to the possibility of an ideal which-way detector, that can achieve a better path-discrimination, at the same time as a better fringe visibility. In our opinion, this seems to be in contrast with the intuitive idea of complementarity, as it is implemented in the two-beams case, where an increase in path discrimination always implies a decrease of fringe visibility, if the beams and the detector are in pure states.
It is shown that a classical experiment using an ordinary cat can reproduce the same results and it is argued that the quantum nature of the phenomenon could be revealed instead by making an experiment that detects cross-moments.
The correctness of the consistent histories analysis of weakly interacting probes, related to the path of a particle, is maintained against the criticisms in the Comment, and against the alternative approach described there, which receives no support from standard (textbook) quantum mechanics.
It is argued that the strong coupling version of recent experiment [Denkmayr et al., PRL 118, 010402 (2017)] while correctly estimating the pre-selected states of the neutrons does not perform strong measurements of weak values as claimed.
While much of the technical analysis in the preceding Comment [1] is correct, in the end it confirms the conclusion reached in my previous work [2]: a consistent histories analysis provides no support for the claim of counterfactual quantum communication put forward in [3]
Our paper arXiv:2101.11629 contains a technical error which changes some of the conclusions. We thank Streltsov, Pedernales, and Plenio for bringing the essence of this error to our attention. Here we explain the error, examine its consequences, and suggest methods to overcome the resulting weakness in the proposed experiment.
Potocek and Ferenczi [Phys. Rev. A 92, 023829 (2015)] provided an analysis of the experimental evidence obtained by Danan et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240402 (2013)] for the surprising behaviour of photons passing through an interferometer, in particular, motion on disconnected paths. Potocek and Ferenczi reproduced the results of the experiment, but when analyzing its modification, they claimed that the reasoning of Danan et al., which led to disconnected paths, is erroneous. It is argued here that the criticism of Potocek and Ferenczi is unfounded.
Bartkiewicz et al. [Phys. Rev. A 91, 012103 (2015)] provided an alternative analysis of experiment performed by Danan et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240402 (2013)] which presented surprising evidence regarding the past of photons passing through an interferometer. They argued that the quantity used by Danan et al. is not a suitable which-path witness, and proposed an alternative. It is argued that the quantum and classical analyses of Bartkiewicz et al. are inconsistent and both are inappropriate for describing the past of photons in a properly working interferometer.
An experiment with nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240402 (2013)] has been recently implemented with neutrons [Phys. Rev. A 97, 052111 (2018)]. Which-path information has been extracted from faint traces the neutrons left, providing operational meaning to "the particle's path". The authors of the neutron interference experiment criticised the conclusions obtained by the authors of the optical experiment. I refute the criticism and argue that the results of the neutron interference experiment actually support the surprising picture of the past of the particle in the ne…
Hohensee, Chu, Peters and Müller have submitted a comment (arXiv:1112.6039 [gr-qc]) on our paper "Does an atom interferometer test the gravitational redshift at the Compton frequency?", Classical and Quantum Gravity 28, 145017 (2011), arXiv:1009.2485 [gr-qc]. Here we reply to this comment and show that the main result of our paper, namely that atom interferometric gravimeters do not test the gravitational redshift at the Compton frequency, remains valid.
We show that Wolf et al.'s 2011 analysis in Class. Quant. Grav. v28, 145017 does not support their conclusions, in particular that there is "no redshift effect" in atom interferometers except in inconsistent dual Lagrangian formalisms. Wolf et al. misapply both Schiff's conjecture and the results of their own analysis when they conclude that atom interferometers are tests of the weak equivalence principle which only become redshift tests if Schiff's conjecture is invalid. Atom interferometers are direct redshift tests in any formalism.
Kocsis et al. (Science, Reports 3 June 2011, p. 1170) state that the experimentally deduced average photon trajectories are identical to the particle trajectories of Bohm's quantum mechanics. No supporting evidence, however, was provided. The photon trajectories presented in their report do not converge to high probability regions, a familiar and necessary behavior of Bohm trajectories. We reanalyze their data and calculations, conclude that the average photon trajectories do indeed agree with Bohm, and discuss possible interpretations of this result.
Diffraction experiments have moved to ever heavier objects in recent years, now standing at the level of large molecules. Experiments in materials science on the other hand have come down to ever smaller sizes largely due to the success of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), which allows studying single molecules on surfaces. Since both fields coming from opposite side of the size spectrum are now meeting, there is a need of consistent theories. The simulations presented in the article, which we are referring to, are not consistent with molecular dynamics simulations which are routinely u…
In a recent paper, arXiv:1604.04596, Griffiths questioned - based on an informative consistent-histories (CH) argument - the counterfactuality, for one of the bit choices, of Salih et al.'s protocol for communicating without sending physical particles, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 170502 (2013). Here, we first show that for the Mach-Zehnder version used to explain our protocol, no family of consistent histories exists where any history has the photon travelling through the communication channel, thus rendering the question of whether the photon was in the communication channel meaningless from a CH v…
In two recent articles, Meiser and Meystre describe the coupled dynamics of a dense gas of atoms and an optical cavity pumped by a laser field. They make two important simplifying assumptions: (i) the gas of atoms forms a regular lattice and can be replaced by a fictitious mirror, and (ii) the atoms strive to minimize the dipole potential. We show that the two assumptions are inconsistent: the configuration of atoms minimizing the dipole potential is not a perfect lattice. Assumption (ii) is erroneous, as in the strong coupling regime the dipole force does not arise from the dipole potential. …
In [JETP Lett. 105(3), 152 (2017)], a clear and comprehensive analysis of the paradoxical results of experiment [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240402 (2013)] was carried out on the basis of the classical wave theory of light, which presupposes the continuity of possible of light paths. It was shown that the paradoxical results of the experiment are due not to the discontinuity of the trajectories of light, as claimed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 240402 (2013)], but to the used way of detecting the path of photons. The experiment modification proposed in [JETP Lett. 105(3), 152 (2017)] allows us to elimin…
In this article we try to describe the physics of a standard optical interferometer fed by "quantum" photons in terms of primitive, nevertheless accurate formulation. We derive explicit interferene patterns and show how they vary depending on the input photon state.
The recent criticism of Vaidman's propsal for the analysis of the past of a particle in the nested interferometer is refuted. It is shown that the definition of the past of the particle adopted by Englert et al. [Phys. Rev. A 96, 022126 (2017)] is applicable only to a tiny fraction of photons in the interferometer which indeed exhibit different behaviour. Their proof that all pre- and postselected particles behave this way, i.e. follow a continuous trajectory, does not hold, because it relies on the assumption that it is intended to prove.
By using the nonuniform discrete Fourier transform on the center positions of the symmetric intensity distribution of the output beam, we recover the vibration information of two mirrors, which is lost in the analysis of Danan \emph{et al.} in the work [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{111}, 240402 (2013), arXiv:1304.7469]. We believe a photon always follows continuous trajectories, and a photon has to enter an interferometer at first and then leave it, if this photon has ever been inside the interferometer.
A recent paper (gr-qc/9909017) criticizes our work on the structure of spacetime foam. Its authors argue that the quantum uncertainty limit for the position of the quantum clock in a gedanken timing experiment, obtained by Wigner and used by us, is based on unrealistic assumptions. Here we point out some flaws in their argument. We also discuss their other comments and some other issues related to our work, including a simple connection to the holographic principle. We see no reason to change our cautious optimism on the detectability of spacetime foam with future refinements of modern gravita…
