A Test of Empty Wave via Quantum Memory in a Weak Measurement Scheme

TL;DR

This paper experimentally investigates the nature of the empty wave in quantum mechanics using a novel scheme that combines quantum memory and weak measurement, revealing how a photon’s path information can be partially extracted without destroying coherence.

Contribution

It introduces a new experimental approach that uses quantum memory as a non-destructive path detector in a weak measurement setup, providing insights into the empty wave concept.

Findings

Achieved 79% interference visibility with quantum memory-based measurement.

Demonstrated that quantum memory can store and retrieve partial path information without collapsing the quantum state.

Converted weak values into classical information prior to interference, enabling new measurement techniques.

Abstract

In quantum mechanics, a long-standing question remains: How does a single photon traverse double slits? One intuitive picture suggests that the photon passes through only one slit, while its wavefunction splits into an ``empty" wave and a ``full" wave. However, the reality of this empty wave is yet to be verified. Here, we present a novel experimental configuration that combines quantum memory and weak measurement to investigate the nature of the empty wave. A single atomic excitation is probabilistically split between free space and a quantum memory, analogous to the two paths in a double-slit experiment. The quantum memory serves as a path detector, where single-photon Raman scattering is enhanced due to the presence of a stored spin wave, without collapsing the quantum state. This enhancement is recorded as classical information, and the spin wave stored in the quantum memory is retrieved twice, with an interference visibility of 79%. Unlike conventional weak measurement schemes, where weak values are detected during post-selection, our approach converts the weak value into classical information before interference takes place. Our results demonstrate the potential of quantum memory as a measurement device that preserves coherence while extracting partial information, offering new insights into quantum measurement.