Observation of a classical Cheshire cat in an optical interferometer

David P. Atherton; Gambhir Ranjit; Andrew A. Geraci; Jonathan D. Weinstein

doi:10.1364/OL.40.000879

Observation of a classical Cheshire cat in an optical interferometer

David P. Atherton, Gambhir Ranjit, Andrew A. Geraci, Jonathan D. Weinstein^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

A recent neutron interferometry experiment claims to demonstrate a paradoxical phenomenon dubbed the "quantum Cheshire cat" [Nat. Commun. 5, 4492 (2014)]. We have reproduced and extended these results with an equivalent optical interferometer. The results suggest that the photon travels through one arm of the interferometer, while its polarization travels through the other. However, we show that these experimental results belong to the domain where quantum and classical wave theories coincide; there is nothing uniquely quantum about the illusion of this Cheshire cat.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	879-881
Number of pages	3
Journal	Optics Letters
Volume	40
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.40.000879
State	Published - Mar 15 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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title = "Observation of a classical Cheshire cat in an optical interferometer",

abstract = "A recent neutron interferometry experiment claims to demonstrate a paradoxical phenomenon dubbed the {"}quantum Cheshire cat{"} [Nat. Commun. 5, 4492 (2014)]. We have reproduced and extended these results with an equivalent optical interferometer. The results suggest that the photon travels through one arm of the interferometer, while its polarization travels through the other. However, we show that these experimental results belong to the domain where quantum and classical wave theories coincide; there is nothing uniquely quantum about the illusion of this Cheshire cat.",

author = "Atherton, {David P.} and Gambhir Ranjit and Geraci, {Andrew A.} and Weinstein, {Jonathan D.}",

note = "Funding Information: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants PHY 1265905 and PHY 1205994. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Optical Society of America.",

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AU - Atherton, David P.

AU - Ranjit, Gambhir

AU - Geraci, Andrew A.

AU - Weinstein, Jonathan D.

N1 - Funding Information: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants PHY 1265905 and PHY 1205994. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Optical Society of America.

PY - 2015/3/15

Y1 - 2015/3/15

N2 - A recent neutron interferometry experiment claims to demonstrate a paradoxical phenomenon dubbed the "quantum Cheshire cat" [Nat. Commun. 5, 4492 (2014)]. We have reproduced and extended these results with an equivalent optical interferometer. The results suggest that the photon travels through one arm of the interferometer, while its polarization travels through the other. However, we show that these experimental results belong to the domain where quantum and classical wave theories coincide; there is nothing uniquely quantum about the illusion of this Cheshire cat.

AB - A recent neutron interferometry experiment claims to demonstrate a paradoxical phenomenon dubbed the "quantum Cheshire cat" [Nat. Commun. 5, 4492 (2014)]. We have reproduced and extended these results with an equivalent optical interferometer. The results suggest that the photon travels through one arm of the interferometer, while its polarization travels through the other. However, we show that these experimental results belong to the domain where quantum and classical wave theories coincide; there is nothing uniquely quantum about the illusion of this Cheshire cat.

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Observation of a classical Cheshire cat in an optical interferometer

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