Complementarity via error-free measurement in a two-path interferometer

Abstract

We study both the wave-like behavior and particle-like behavior in a general Mach-Zehnder interferometer with its asymmetric beam splitter. A error-free measurement in the detector is used to extract the which-path information. The fringe visibility V and the which-path information Ipath are derived: their complementary relation V + Ipath less than or equal to 1 are found, and the condition for the equality is also presented.