Open AccessSingle-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometry for High Schools
Author(s) -
Maria Bondani
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of physics. conference series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1742-6596
pISSN - 1742-6588
DOI - 10.1088/1742-6596/1929/1/012055
Subject(s) - interferometry , superposition principle , mach–zehnder interferometer , polarizer , beam splitter , photon , physics , optics , polarization (electrochemistry) , interference (communication) , laser , quantum mechanics , birefringence , telecommunications , chemistry , engineering , channel (broadcasting)
The superposition states, allowed by quantum theory, are dramatically diverse with respect to classical states and represent the true quantum states. By using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer we experimentally show how a single photon in a polarization superposition state can produce interference. The experimental setup includes a strongly attenuated laser source, polarizing beam splitters, half-waveplates, polarizers and single-photon detectors. The experimental activity has been performed with high-school students and teachers in several different contexts.