Towards probing for hypercomplex quantum mechanics in a waveguide interferometer

TL;DR

This paper experimentally tests a multi-path waveguide interferometer for hypercomplex quantum mechanics, analyzing various imperfections to prevent false positives, and identifies shutter transmissivity as a critical factor.

Contribution

It provides a systematic analysis of experimental imperfections affecting tests of hypercomplex quantum mechanics using waveguide interferometers.

Findings

Shutter transmissivity is a major source of systematic error.

Detector nonlinearity and phase fluctuations influence measurement accuracy.

Identifies key experimental parameters to improve future tests.

Abstract

We experimentally investigate the suitability of a multi-path waveguide interferometer with mechanical shutters for performing a test for hypercomplex quantum mechanics. Probing the interferometer with coherent light we systematically analyse the influence of experimental imperfections that could lead to a false-positive test result. In particular, we analyse the effects of detector nonlinearity, input-power and phase fluctuations on different timescales, closed-state transmissivity of shutters and crosstalk between different interferometer paths. In our experiment, a seemingly small shutter transmissivity in the order of about $2 \times 10^{-4}$ is the main source of systematic error, which suggests that this is a key imperfection to monitor and mitigate in future experiments.