Duality in asymmetric Quantum optical Ramsey interferometers

Abstract

A formalism have been recently derived [J. Martinez-Linares and D. Harmin, quantum-ph/0306057] allowing one to separate different sources of which-way information contributing to the total distinguishability D of the ways in a two-way interferometer. Here we apply the formalism to a Quantum Optical Ramsey Interferometer where both sources, the a-priori predictability of the ways P and the quantum "Quality" Q of the which-way detector, stems from the same physical interaction. We show that the formalism is able to separate both sources of which-way information. Moreover, it is shown that Q succeeds in quantifying the amount of quantum which-way information stored in the which-way detector even in cases where D does not.