Quantitative wave-particle duality and non-erasing quantum erasure

Abstract

The notion of wave-particle duality may be quantified by the inequality V^2+K^2 <=1, relating interference fringe visibility V and path knowledge K. With a single-photon interferometer in which polarization is used to label the paths, we have investigated the relation for various situations, including pure, mixed, and partially-mixed input states. A quantum eraser scheme has been realized that recovers interference fringes even when no which-way information is available to erase.

6 pages, 4 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev. A