Fourier analysis of many-body transition amplitudes and states

Abstract

We decompose the counting statistics of many-body interference experiments into contributions associated with distinct irreducible exchange symmetries. To do so, we perform a Fourier transform over the symmetric group $S_N$ on the collection of $N!$ many-body transition amplitudes connecting two states of a system of $N$ particles. We apply our formalism to the interference of partially distinguishable bosons and fermions and describe mechanisms responsible for completely destructive interference in many-body systems obeying specific exchange symmetries, including, but not limited to, bosons and fermions.