Double slit experiment with 2 detectors

In summary, there is an experiment called the Delayed Choice Quantum Eraser where detectors were placed on both slits to observe the behavior of particles like electrons. This is necessary because most detectors absorb the particles, and placing detectors on both slits would result in no interference pattern. However, the experiment shows that even with both slits open, the interference pattern can be destroyed if a non-destructive detector is used. This phenomenon has no classical explanation and goes against the classical understanding of particles.
  • #1
Splizard
3
0
Can someone please point me to an experiment (photons/electrons/whatever) where detectors were placed on both slits, this seems like a really big hole in the experiment if they stopped at having just the one detector. (Excuse the pun)
 
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  • #2
Splizard said:
Can someone please point me to an experiment (photons/electrons/whatever) where detectors were placed on both slits
Here's one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_choice_quantum_eraser#The_experiment_of_Kim_et_al._.282000.29

It looks like a complicated way of doing something simple ("Just put a detector in each slot - how hard can that be?") but it has to be done that way because most detectors absorb the detected particle. If we just put a detector in each slit then nothing would get through and we wouldn't have any pattern at all.
 
  • #3
Nugatory said:
Here's one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_choice_quantum_eraser#The_experiment_of_Kim_et_al._.282000.29

It looks like a complicated way of doing something simple ("Just put a detector in each slot - how hard can that be?") but it has to be done that way because most detectors absorb the detected particle. If we just put a detector in each slit then nothing would get through and we wouldn't have any pattern at all.
If the detector absorbs the wave then what's so strange about the interference pattern being destroyed? Wouldn't the absorption of the wave through 1 slit on the detector cause the the wave from the other slit to be out of phase and therefore not interfere?
 
  • #4
Splizard said:
If the detector absorbs the wave then what's so strange about the interference pattern being destroyed?

Nothing's strange about not getting an interference pattern with only one slit open. What is strange is:
1) The appearance of an interference pattern when both slits are open but we're using particles such as electrons, which classically weren't supposed to display any sort of wave behavior.
2) The appearance of an interference pattern when both slits are open but we're sending the particles one at a time. That phenomenon has no classical explanation.
3) The way the interference pattern goes away, even with both slits open, if we have a non-destructive detector operating at one or both slots. Your original question was asking for an example of sic an experiment, and Kim's apparatus is one such.
 

1. What is the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors?

The Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors is a thought experiment that demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light and matter. It involves shining a beam of particles, such as photons, through two parallel slits onto a screen. When there is only one detector placed behind one of the slits, the particles behave like waves and create an interference pattern on the screen. However, when two detectors are placed behind each slit, the particles act as individual particles and the interference pattern disappears.

2. Who conducted the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors?

The Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors was first conducted by physicist Thomas Young in the early 1800s. However, the modern version of the experiment, using two detectors, was conducted by physicist John Wheeler in the 1970s.

3. What is the significance of the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors?

The Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors is significant because it provides evidence for the wave-particle duality of light and matter. It shows that particles can behave like waves and exhibit interference patterns, and also that the act of observation can affect the behavior of particles. This experiment has important implications for understanding the nature of reality and the role of consciousness in the universe.

4. How does the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors relate to quantum mechanics?

The Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors is a key example in quantum mechanics, which is the branch of physics that studies the behavior of particles at the subatomic level. It demonstrates the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, including wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, and the role of observation in shaping reality.

5. What are the practical applications of the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors?

While the Double Slit Experiment with 2 Detectors may seem like a purely theoretical concept, it has practical applications in fields such as quantum computing and cryptography. It also plays a crucial role in developing new technologies, such as single-photon sources and detectors, which have important applications in fields like medicine, telecommunications, and imaging.

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