Local asymmetry in interference as a probe of quantum probability

Quantum Physics [Submitted on 19 Mar 2026] Local asymmetry in interference as a probe of quantum probability Yong Zhang Quantum interference provides one of the most sensitive probes of quantum mechanics. While linear superposition fixes the positions and quadratic curvature of interference fringes, it remains unclear whether the probabilistic postulate itself, the Born rule, can be tested through finer, local features of interference patterns. Here we show that a minimal deformation of quantum probability gives rise to a robust and symmetry-protected signature: a left-right asymmetry in the local shape of interference fringes. Remarkably, this effect leaves the linear Schrödinger dynamics intact and does not shift fringe positions or modify their quadratic curvature. Instead, it appears exclusively as a cubic skewness of local intensity profiles, providing a clean and falsifiable observable. We demonstrate this behavior within a controlled realization that preserves linear dynamics while minimally deforming the probabilistic assignment. The resulting signature is universal, scale insensitive, and cannot be mimicked by conventional sources of experimental noise. Our results identify local asymmetry in interference as a direct probe of quantum probability itself, suggesting that features often regarded as removable imperfections may encode fundamental information beyond fringe positions and widths. Comments: 4+1 pages Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph) Cite as: arXiv:2603.19342 [quant-ph]   (or arXiv:2603.19342v1 [quant-ph] for this version)   https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.19342 Focus to learn more Submission history From: Yong Zhang [view email] [v1] Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:17:12 UTC (9 KB) Access Paper: HTML (experimental) view license Current browse context: quant-ph < prev   |   next > new | recent | 2026-03 References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADS Google Scholar Semantic Scholar Export BibTeX Citation Bookmark Bibliographic Tools Bibliographic and Citation Tools Bibliographic Explorer Toggle Bibliographic Explorer (What is the Explorer?) Connected Papers Toggle Connected Papers (What is Connected Papers?) Litmaps Toggle Litmaps (What is Litmaps?) scite.ai Toggle scite Smart Citations (What are Smart Citations?) Code, Data, Media Demos Related Papers About arXivLabs Which authors of this paper are endorsers? | Disable MathJax (What is MathJax?)