Three-particle quantum correlation interferometry

TL;DR

This paper investigates three-particle quantum correlations during reflection from a mirror, revealing complex interference effects that depend on coherence lengths and persist even with large mirrors, highlighting unique quantum phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a novel three-body correlation interferometry framework for particles reflecting from a mirror, emphasizing persistent quantum effects regardless of mirror size.

Findings

Quantum joint probability densities show diverse interference patterns.

Marginal probabilities can reveal information about all three bodies.

Quantum effects persist even with macroscopic mirrors.

Abstract

A three-body quantum correlation is calculated for two particles reflecting from a mirror. Correlated interference, a consequence of conservation of energy and momentum, occurs for states in which the order of reflection is indeterminate. The resulting quantum joint probability density function exhibits interference with diverse characteristics, depending on the coherence lengths of the substates. Marginal probability density functions can contain information about the quantum nature of all three bodies, even if only one particle is measured. Microscopic particles reflecting from a mesoscopic or macroscopic mirror are used to illustrate unique features of this three-body correlation interferometry. The microscopic momentum exchanged then generates mirror substates which interfere to produce quantum effects which do not vanish with increasing mirror mass, while the small displacement between these mirror states can yield negligible environmental decoherence times.