A Classical Experiment for the Quantum Eraser: A Comparison Between Model and Experimental Results

We describe a simple experimental apparatus which allows the quantitative study of the classical analog of a quantum eraser. The apparatus consists of a laser diode, a thin wire, two polarizers providing the which-way information, and a third polarizer which erases that information. The experimental results are analyzed with the aid of a digital camera and the Tracker application, and are compared with a novel classical computation of the interference patterns, which is presented as well.