Realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics and encounter-delayed-choice experiment  

作　　者：GuiLu Long Wei Qin Zhe Yang Jun-Lin Li 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics and Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China [2]Innovative Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China [3]Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology,Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

出　　处：《Science China(Physics,Mechanics & Astronomy)》2018年第3期10-17,共8页中国科学：物理学、力学、天文学（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.11474181);the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2011CB9216002);the Open Research Fund Program of the State Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics,Tsinghua University

摘　　要：In this paper, a realistic interpretation(REIN) of the wave function in quantum mechanics is briefly presented. We demonstrate that in the REIN, the wave function of a microscopic object is its real existence rather than a mere mathematical description.Specifically, the quantum object can exist in disjointed regions of space just as the wave function is distributed, travels at a finite speed, and collapses instantly upon a measurement. Furthermore, we analyze the single-photon interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer(MZI) using the REIN. Based on this, we propose and experimentally implement a generalized delayed-choice experiment, called the encounter-delayed-choice experiment, where the second beam splitter is decided whether or not to insert at the encounter of two sub-waves along the arms of the MZI. In such an experiment, the parts of the sub-waves, which do not travel through the beam splitter, show a particle nature, whereas the remaining parts interfere and thus show a wave nature. The predicted phenomenon is clearly demonstrated in the experiment, thus supporting the REIN idea.In this paper, a realistic interpretation （REIN） of the wave function in quantum mechanics is briefly presented. We demonstrate that in the REIN, the wave function of a microscopic object is its real existence rather than a mere mathematical description. Specifically, the quantum object can exist in disjointed regions of space just as the wave function is distributed, travels at a finite speed, and collapses instantly upon a measurement. Furthermore, we analyze the single-photon interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer （MZI） using the REIN. Based on this, we propose and experimentally implement a generalized delayed-choice experiment, called the encounter-delayed-choice experiment, where the second beam splitter is decided whether or not to insert at the encounter of two sub-waves along the arms of the MZI. In such an experiment, the parts of the sub-waves, which do not travel through the beam splitter, show a particle nature, whereas the remaining parts interfere and thus show a wave nature. The predicted phenomenon is clearly demonstrated in the experiment, thus supporting the REIN idea.

关 键 词：wave function realistic interpretation Mach-Zehnder interferometer wave-particle duality 

分 类 号：O413.1[理学—理论物理]