Double-slit Interference Experiment Research Articles

Quantum double slit experiment with reversible detection of photons

Principle of quantum superposition permits a photon to interfere with itself. As per the principle of causality, a photon must pass through the double-slit prior to its detection on the screen to exhibit interference. In this paper, a double-slit quantum interference experiment with reversible detection of Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen quantum entangled photons is presented. Where a photon is first detected on a screen without passing through a double-slit, while the second photon is propagating towards the double-slit. A detection event on the screen cannot affect the second photon with any signal propagating at the speed of light, even after its passage through the double-slit. After the detection of the first photon on the screen, the second photon is either passed through the double-slit or diverted towards a stationary photon detector. Therefore, the question of whether the first photon carries the which-path information of the second photon in the double-slit is eliminated. No single photon interference is exhibited by the second photon, even if another screen is placed after the double-slit.

Young’s double-slit interference with single hard X-ray photons

Double-slit interference experiments using monochromatic hard X-rays with the energy of 25 keV are presented. The experiments were performed at a synchrotron source with a distance of 110 m between the interferometer and the detector to produce an interference pattern with a sufficiently broad period that could be adequately sampled by a photon-counting detector with 75 micrometre pixels. In the single-particle version of the experiment, over one million image frames with a single registered photon in each one were collected. The sum of these frames showed a clear presence of the interference pattern with the expected period. Subsequent analysis provided an objective estimation of the minimal number of detected photons required to determine, in accordance with the Rose criterion, the presence of the photon interference. Apart from a general theoretical interest, these investigations were aimed at exploring the possibility of medical X-ray phase-contrast imaging in photon-counting regime at minimal radiation doses.

Research on Textile Dyeing Formulation Based on Young's Double-Slit Interference Experiment Optimization Algorithm

With the development of intelligent algorithms, computer color matching has become an important method to improve product quality and save labor cost in printing and dyeing industry. In this paper, based on the K-M optical theory and the color difference theory of CIELAB uniform color space, and combined with the latest heuristic optimization algorithm "Young's Double-Slit Interference Experiment Optimizer (YDSE)" proposed in 2023, a feasible solution to generate textile dyeing formulas quickly is proposed. The model is tested with 12 textile target samples, and the experiments show that the proposed dyeing formulation model can converge quickly, and the color parameters of the generated scheme are closer to those of the real samples, with the maximum parameter error not exceeding 10-2 orders of magnitude, and the predicted color differences of the optimal scheme are all in the range of 10-6 orders of magnitude or less. Simultaneous testing of the sample formulations using three other common optimization algorithms, WOA, HHO, and IHHO, shows that their predicted color differences are greater than those of YDSE, proving the reliability of the model.

Young’s double-slit experiment with undulator vortex radiation in the photon-counting regime

Young’s double-slit interference experiments with undulator vortex radiation were conducted, focusing on photon-counting regime. To isolate the second harmonic radiation in the ultraviolet range emitted from the helical undulator and achieve successful counting measurements, an ultranarrow bandpass filter was utilized under an extremely low-current mode of the electron storage ring. It was observed that the photon spots on the detector, after passing through the double slits, appeared to be randomly distributed. However, upon integrating these photon spots, it was confirmed that interference fringes with characteristic features of optical vortices, such as dark and broken/distorted stripes in the center, were formed. The reproducibility of these interference fringes was confirmed by calculating the optical path difference for the optical vortex reaching the double slits, as well as the optical path difference resulting from normal double-slit interference. Consequently, these findings indicate that even in the state of a single photon, the radiation emitted spontaneously by a high-energy electron in spiral motion possesses the nature of an optical vortex, characterized by a spiral wavefront.

Study on the Diffraction-like and Interference-like Mechanisms of Particle Flow

This paper demonstrates that the light and dark fringe in Young's double-slit experiment is not actually the diffraction and interference pattern of light wave. We investigate the scattering phenomenon after the particle flow passes through the gaps and find that the scattering type and scattering degrees of freedom of the particle flow depend on the physical parameters of the particles and the gaps. When the particle flow undergoes uniform scattering, a uniform "yes" and "no" interspersed discrete distribution pattern will form on the receiving screen. Based on the diffraction-like and interference-like mechanism of particle flow, this paper explains the electron diffraction and interference experiment, as well as the Young's double-slit interference experiment and the diffraction of light through circular holes and plates. This article provides an in-depth discussion on Einstein's concept of wave particle duality and de Broglie's matter wave hypothesis, as well as an analysis of Feynman's experimental idea of electron double slit interference. Our research shows that the matter wave hypothesis is not valid, which has shaken the foundation of modern quantum mechanics and has significant scientific significance. In addition, this study has important application value for the development of technology for detecting and analyzing particles or gaps.

Spin vector potential and spin Aharonov-Bohm effect

The Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect is an important discovery of quantum theory. It serves as a surprising quantum phenomenon in which an electrically charged particle can be affected by an electromagnetic potential, despite being confined to a region in which both the magnetic field and electric field are zero. This fact gives the electromagnetic potentials greater significance in quantum physics than in classical physics. The original AB effect belongs to an “electromagnetic type”. A certain vector potential is crucial for building a certain type of AB effect. In this work, we focus on the “spin”, which is an intrinsic property of microscopic particles that has been widely accepted nowadays. First, we propose the hypothesis of spin vector potential by considering a particle with a spin operator. Second, to verify the existence of such a spin vector potential, we present a gedanken double-slit interference experiment (i.e., the spin AB effect), which is possible to be observed in the lab. Third, we apply the spin vector potential to naturally explain why there were the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya-type interaction and the dipole-dipole interaction between spins, and also predict a new type of spin-orbital interaction.

New type of double-slit interference experiment at Fermi scale

New type of double-slit interference experiment at Fermi scale

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

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.

Ultrahigh-dynamic-range wavefront sensor based on absolute double-slit interferometry

This Letter reports a new, to the best of our knowledge, technique for the quality testing of steep optical samples by introducing an absolute interferometry method based on a double-slit interference experiment. We determine the quality of the sample with an ultrahigh-dynamic-range wavefront sensor by determining the deformation of the central fringe of the double-slit interferometer recorded for two different separations of the slits. The transmission function of the double slit is implemented on an amplitude spatial light modulator. Therefore, the slits’ location can be easily displaced over the entire area of the sample’s wavefront. We applied the proposed method on two samples: a microscope slide and a conventional ophthalmic lens, and maximum absolute phase variations of 0.33 and 26.7 rad were measured, respectively. Our estimation shows that an absolute phase variation of about 700 rad can be measured with this method.

Inexpensive Single and Double Slits Using a Fine-Toothed Comb

For single-slit diffraction and double-slit interference experiments, commercially made slits can be the most expensive parts, especially since the prices of laser pointers have become very low. One option is to use a razor blade to cut slits in either paint or electrical tape on microscope slides. However, this takes practice, and there is some risk of injury, so it may not be reasonable to expect students to make their own slits in this way. Also, measuring the width and the separation of the slits produced requires a microscope. A simple, inexpensive alternative is to use the gaps of a fine-toothed comb as slits.

Interference of Two Point Sources Using Smartphones

A simple experimental setup using a smartphone and a pair of speakers is presented to perform an accurate experiment on interference of two point sources. The proposed experiment allows simple but interesting measurements to be done to introduce students to interference and diffraction phenomena. As such, the experiment effectively introduces the classical Young’s double-slit interference experiment, and can be used as a replacement for the classical ripple tank.

Revisiting the geometry of two-source interference

We reexamine the approximate formula for the path difference in the double-slit interference experiment, establish its limits of applicability from a geometric perspective and discuss its validity for the two-source interference of acoustic and surface waves.

Concise and efficient direct-view generation of arbitrary cylindrical vector beams by a vortex half-wave plate

A concise, efficient, and practical direct-view scheme is presented to generate arbitrary cylindrical vector (CV) beams, including CV beams, vortex beams, and cylindrical vector vortex (CVV) beams, by a vortex half-wave plate (VHP). Six kinds of first-order and other high-order CV beams, such as azimuthally polarized (AP) beams, antivortex radial polarization mode beams, and three-order AP beams, are formed by simply rotating a half-wave plate. The Stokes parameters and double-slit interference of multitype CV beams are investigated in detail. The polarization parameters, including degree of polarization, polarization azimuth, and ellipticity, are obtained, which demonstrates the efficient generation of CV beams. In addition, the double-slit interference experiment is introduced in the setup, and fringe misplacement and tilt appear for CVV beams, in which the misplacement number M is 2 P + 1 for P ≤ 2 and 2 P − 1 for P ≥ 3 , where P is the polarization order number, and the fringe tilt offset is positively related to the topological charge number l of CVV beams. In addition, new types of VHPs can be formed by cascading two or more VHPs when the types of available VHPs are limited, assisting in more flexible generation of multitype CV beams. It is experimentally demonstrated that arbitrary CV beams with high quality are effectively achieved by the proposed setup, and the double-slit interference method can be utilized to determine and analyze CV beams rapidly and concisely by practical performance, which shows the potential to be implemented as a commercial device.

Sorkin parameter for type-I spontaneous parametric down-conversion biphotons and matter waves

We propose experimental measurements of the logarithmic negativity, which quantifies quantum correlations using Gouy phase measurements in an asymmetric double-slit interference experiment for twin photons. This is possible because both quantities have analogous dependence with the spatial confinement by the slits and enables one to manipulate the portion of entanglement by the Gouy phase. In order to obtain those measurements, we need to work in a regime where the position correlations between particles are strong, therefore we investigate such correlations for biphotons. Since we would like to handle entanglement quantifiers through the Gouy phase, we analyze the Gouy phase difference for two entangled photons in an asymmetric double-slit interference experiment.

No Paradox in Wave–Particle Duality

The assertion that an experiment by Afshar et al. demonstrates violation of Bohr's Principle of Complementarity is based on the faulty assumption that which-way information in a double-slit interference experiment can be retroactively determined from a future measurement.

Analysis of double-slit interference experiment at the atomic level

I argue that the marquis characteristics of the quantum-mechanical double-slit experiment (point detection, random distribution, Born rule) can be explained using Schroedinger's equation alone, if one takes into account that, for any atom in a detector, there is a small but nonzero gap between its excitation energy and the excitation energies of all other relevant atoms in the detector (isolated-levels assumption). To illustrate the point I introduce a toy model of a detector. The form of the model follows common practice in quantum optics and cavity QED. Each detector atom can be resonantly excited by the incoming particle, and then emit a detection signature (e.g., bright flash of light) or dissipate its energy thermally. Different atoms have slightly different resonant energies per the isolated-levels assumption, and the projectile preferentially excites the atom with the closest energy match. The toy model permits one easily to estimate the probability that any atom is resonantly excited, and also that a detection signature is produced before being overtaken by thermal dissipation. The end-to-end detection probability is the product of these two probabilities, and is proportional to the absolute-square of the incoming wavefunction at the atom in question, i.e. the Born rule. I consider how closely a published neutron interference experiment conforms to the picture developed here; I show how this paper's analysis steers clear of creating a scenario with local hidden variables; I show how the analysis steers clear of the irreversibility implicit in the projection postulate; and I discuss possible experimental tests of this paper's ideas. Hopefully, this is a significant step toward realizing the program of solving the measurement problem within unitary quantum mechanics envisioned by Landsman, among others.

3-D Optical Path Drawing Method

This paper mainly proposes a simple method to record scattered light rays via photography, presenting a clearer and brighter representation of the optical path. This technique is applied to the double-slit interference experiment and single-slit diffraction experiment typically conducted in general physics courses, and shows the intuitive results concerning the relationship between light intensity and interference or diffraction angle through photographic images. Moreover, a photograph of the optical path presented by a converging lens is provided to better understand visually the phenomena of optical aberration and spherical aberration. The optical path drawing method can be applied to various fields of physics and engineering.

The double-slit interference of large molecule

In this paper, we have studied the double-slit interference experiment phenomena of the large molecule $${C_{60}}$$ with quantum theory approach. We calculate the double-slit wave functions of $${C_{60}}$$ molecule by the Schrodinger equation, and calculate the diffraction wave function behind the slits with the Feynman path integral quantum theory, and then give the relation between the interference intensity and interference pattern position. On this basis, we compare the calculation results with the double-slit interference experiments of $${C_{60}}$$ , which are in accordance with the experimental data, which shows that the matter-wave interference is a quantum phenomenon, it should be studied by the quantum theory method, and the decoherence effect should be considered.

Interference experiment with asymmetric double slit by using 1.2-MV field emission transmission electron microscope

Advanced electron microscopy technologies have made it possible to perform precise double-slit interference experiments. We used a 1.2-MV field emission electron microscope providing coherent electron waves and a direct detection camera system enabling single-electron detections at a sub-second exposure time. We developed a method to perform the interference experiment by using an asymmetric double-slit fabricated by a focused ion beam instrument and by operating the microscope under a “pre-Fraunhofer” condition, different from the Fraunhofer condition of conventional double-slit experiments. Here, pre-Fraunhofer condition means that each single-slit observation was performed under the Fraunhofer condition, while the double-slit observations were performed under the Fresnel condition. The interference experiments with each single slit and with the asymmetric double slit were carried out under two different electron dose conditions: high-dose for calculation of electron probability distribution and low-dose for each single electron distribution. Finally, we exemplified the distribution of single electrons by color-coding according to the above three types of experiments as a composite image.

Young\u2019s double-slit interference with two-color biphotons

In classical optics, Young’s double-slit experiment with colored coherent light gives rise to individual interference fringes for each light frequency, referring to single-photon interference. However, two-photon double-slit interference has been widely studied only for wavelength-degenerate biphoton, known as subwavelength quantum lithography. In this work, we report double-slit interference experiments with two-color biphoton. Different from the degenerate case, the experimental results depend on the measurement methods. From a two-axis coincidence measurement pattern we can extract complete interference information about two colors. The conceptual model provides an intuitional picture of the in-phase and out-of-phase photon correlations and a complete quantum understanding about the which-path information of two colored photons.