A macroscopic delayed-choice quantum eraser using a commercial laser

Abstract

The heart of quantum mechanics is quantum superposition between orthogonal bases of a single particle. In the particle nature of quantum mechanics, quantum superposition is represented by probability amplitudes between mutually exclusive natures such as orthogonal polarization bases. The delayed-choice quantum eraser is for the post-determination of the photon nature, raising the cause-effect relation issue. Over the last several decades, quantum erasers have been intensively studied using nearly all kinds of photons. Here, the macroscopic delayed-choice quantum eraser is experimentally demonstrated using a continuous wave laser and discussed for quantum superposition in a macroscopic regime. For this, a noninterfering Mach-Zehnder interferometer composed of two polarizing beam splitters is chosen to manipulate polarization bases of lights and to measure them in a delayed-choice manner via polarization-basis projection.