title: Geometric phase of three-level systems in interferometry.
abstract: We present the first scheme for producing and measuring an Abelian geometric phase shift in a three-level system where states are invariant under a non-Abelian group. In contrast to existing experiments and proposals for experiments, based on U(1)-invariant states, our scheme geodesically evolves U(2)-invariant states in a four-dimensional SU(3)/U(2) space and is physically realized via a three-channel optical interferometer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Guise
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang