Double-slit interference and single-slit diffraction experiments on electrons

Abstract

De Broglie proposed the matter wave in 1924. The de Broglie wave is neither a mechanical wave nor an electromagnetic wave and has a very short wavelength. The Davisson-Germer electron diffraction experiment performed in 1925 involved bombarding the surface of a nickel crystal with a narrow beam of electrons. When the accelerating voltage V was maintained at 54 V, the wavelength of the incident electron was λ=h/ <mml:math display="inline"> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">m</mml:mi> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">e</mml:mi> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">V</mml:mi> </mml:msqrt> </mml:math> = 0.167 nm [Y. S. Chen and Z. Z. Li, College Physics (Tianjin University, Tianjin, 1999)] demonstrating the existence of the matter wave. We introduce a type of electron wave with a very long wavelength in this study that is different from the matter wave. For example, the wavelength of the electron wave can reach 0.43 mm in the double-slit interference of electrons. Experiments demonstrate that this long-wavelength electron wave can produce both double-slit interference and electron diffraction. A comparative analysis of matter and electron waves reveals the physical natures of these waves and wave‐particle duality.