2013/05/26 by Xi-Hao Chen, Wen Chen, Shao-Ying Meng +3
Computer Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Correlation #Detector #Double-slit experiment #Geometry #Intensity (physics) #Interference (communication) #Light intensity #Limit (mathematics) #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Neural Networks and Reservoir Computing #Optics #Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics #Order (exchange) #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Random lasers and scattering media #Slit #Third order #Visibility #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1364/josaa.30.001422
10 pages,4figures
arxiv created 2013/05/26 · openalex publication_date 2013/06/26 · arxiv updated 2015/06/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
A third-order double-slit interference experiment with a pseudothermal light source in the high-intensity limit has been performed by actually recording the intensities in three optical paths. It is shown that not only can the visibility be dramatically enhanced compared to the second-order case as previously theoretically predicted and shown experimentally, but also that the higher visibility is a consequence of the contribution of third-order correlation interaction terms, which is equal to the sum of all contributions from second-order correlation. It is interesting that, when the two reference detectors are scanned in opposite directions, negative values for the third-order correlation term of the intensity fluctuations may appear. The phenomenon can be completely explained by the theory of classical statistical optics and is the first concrete demonstration of the influence of the third-order correlation terms.