Measuring Incompatible Observables by Exploiting Sequential Weak Values

F. Piacentini, A. Avella, M. P. Levi, M. Gramegna, G. Brida, I. P. Degiovanni, E. Cohen, R. Lussana, F. Villa, A. Tosi, F. Zappa, M. Genovese

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

One of the most intriguing aspects of quantum mechanics is the impossibility of measuring at the same time observables corresponding to noncommuting operators, because of quantum uncertainty. This impossibility can be partially relaxed when considering joint or sequential weak value evaluation. Indeed, weak value measurements have been a real breakthrough in the quantum measurement framework that is of the utmost interest from both a fundamental and an applicative point of view. In this Letter, we show how we realized for the first time a sequential weak value evaluation of two incompatible observables using a genuine single-photon experiment. These (sometimes anomalous) sequential weak values revealed the single-operator weak values, as well as the local correlation between them.

Original languageEnglish
Article number170402
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume117
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 Oct 2016
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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