Complementarity of multi-photon states in linear and nonlinear optical interfermoters

Abstract

Wave-particle duality of photons is analyzed for optical interferometry by using and extending the concept of complementarity between which-way information (W} and visibility (V}. In the first part of the thesis I explore the duality relation W2+ V2 ?? 1, for various perfect and imperfect measurement schemes of single-photon interference.[1] The duality relation is found to hold in all cases. In the second part I introduce the concept of relative which-way information which instead is related to the conditional probability of finding a photon in one path provided another photon has been found in the same (or the opposite) path. I demonstrate that relative which-way information is unique under the assumption that it is described by a two-particle operator. Furthermore, commutation relations then also fix the operator for relative visibility. It is shown that the duality relation holds for many-photon states as input for the interferometer.