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Controlling and measuring a superposition of position and momentum

Takafumi Ono1,2,3,*, Nigam Samantarray1,4,†, and John G. Rarity1,‡

  • 1Quantum Engineering Technology Laboratories, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1FD, United Kingdom
  • 2Program in Advanced Materials Science Faculty of Engineering and Design, Kagawa University, 2217-20 Hayashi-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0396, Japan
  • 3JST, PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
  • 4Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom

  • *ono.takafumi@kagawa-u.ac.jp
  • †nigam.samantaray@strath.ac.uk
  • ‡john.rarity@bristol.ac.uk
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Phys. Rev. A 108, 012215 – Published 25 July, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.108.012215

Abstract

We present an observation of quantum interference between position and momentum with photons. We prepared a superposition of position and momentum states by using slits, lenses, and an interferometer. The precise control and measuring of propagation time of the photon results in a clear quantum interference of 85% visibility. The generated quantum state is then used to verify the violation of particle propagation inequality proposed by Hofmann [Phys. Rev. A 96, 020101(R) (2017)], resulting in 5.9% below the statistically predicted lower bound. We believe that this result is a major step towards further developments in quantum theory, such as fundamental modifications to the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

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Phys. Rev. A 108, 012215– Published 25 July, 2023
  • Received 13 July 2022
  • Revised 15 April 2023
  • Accepted 7 July 2023
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