Simple implementation of quantum delayed-choice experiment using conventional linear optical elements

TL;DR

This paper presents a straightforward linear optical setup for a quantum delayed-choice experiment that demonstrates the superposition of wave and particle behaviors in photons without requiring initial entanglement.

Contribution

It introduces a simple, entanglement-free scheme to observe wave-particle superposition and interference, advancing understanding of photon nature with minimal experimental complexity.

Findings

Photon wave and particle behaviors can be observed with a single setup.

Quantum interference between wave and particle behaviors is demonstrated.

The scheme reveals the fundamental nature of photons through superposition effects.

Abstract

We propose a simple implementation scheme of quantum delayed-choice experiment in linear optical system without initial entanglement resource. By choosing different detecting devices, one can selectively observe the photon's different behaviors after the photon has been passed the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The scheme shows that the photon's wave behavior and particle behavior can be observed with a single experimental setup by postselection, that is, the photon can show the superposition behavior of wave and particle. Especially, we compare the wave-particle superposition behavior and the wave-particle mixture behavior in detail, and find the quantum interference effect between wave and particle behavior, which may be helpful to reveal the nature of photon essentially.